Jamie Carragher has said playing for Trabzonspor in Türkiye "feels a level too low" for Mohamed Salah, adding he was "convinced" the 33-year-old would sign for a top European club after leaving Liverpool in the summer.
Salah's storied Liverpool career came to an end at the end of last season after he reached an agreement to leave the team a year before his contract was due to expire.
During nine years at Liverpool, Salah established himself as a club legend as he scored 257 goals for The Reds and lifted numerous major trophies including the Champions League and the Premier League.
After being greeted by thousands of fans upon his arrival in the city of Trabzon, Salah signed a two-year deal with the Turkish Super Lig side on Thursday, saying he was "here to win."
"I never believed he was going to go to Saudi, because number one: he's too good for that. I think he can be playing in Serie A. Türkiye for me feels a level too low for me," Carragher told the Football Ramble podcast.
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Mohamed Salah's arrival in Türkiye has caused quite a stir. Ozan KOSE / AFP via Getty Images Carragher was critical of his fellow Liverpool legend on occasion during Salah's time at Anfield, notably calling the Egypt forward "selfish" for publicly expressing his disappointment at Liverpool's failure to offer him a new contract at the time in 2024.
However, he was a big fan of Salah's abilities with the ball at his feet, famously describing the attacker as "little dancer" on commentary after he scored a dramatic late goal against Tottenham Hotspur in 2019.
"I was convinced he'd end up at an AC Milan or Juventus or something, maybe his wages were a problem," Carragher continued. "I don't know him, obviously have never spoken to him. But he's like Ronaldo, he's so driven, his numbers mean so much to him. I thought, he can still do this in Türkiye by the way, but I thought he'd want to play at a real prestigious club."
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Salah's Liverpool exploits have him fourth on the all-time list of Premier League top scorers and third in Liverpool's history.
Carragher added: "Obviously his wage demands have probably put a few people off but I thought he might almost curb those demands a little bit to almost get a better club. To go to an AC Milan or Juventus or whoever it may be, playing at the San Siro, still playing in big games, still playing in Europe. Türkiye just feels like... I just think he's better than that."