Besiktas' fans celebrate their 2016-2017 Turkish league champion title after the Turkish Spor Toto Super league football match between Besiktas and Osmanlispor near the Vodafone Park stadium on June 3, 2017 in Istanbul. / AFP PHOTO / YASIN AKGUL (Photo credit should read YASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkish giants Besiktas made a series of ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempts to sign top-tier talent from the Premier League in the final weeks of the transfer window, Fabrizio Romano revealed in his Givemesport article.
The club’s transfer pursuits targeted high-profile players from Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool.
The Turkish Super Lig’s transfer deadline, which closes after the major European leagues, allowed Besiktas to continue negotiations long after other clubs had concluded their business.
Their primary target was Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, but a deal proved impossible. Besiktas were prepared to offer a significant loan fee or even a permanent transfer for Sancho, who ultimately made a move to Aston Villa, a club he was reportedly keen on joining.
According to sources, Sancho was unwilling to move to either Turkey or Saudi Arabia this summer, leading Besiktas to look elsewhere.
Their attention then turned to Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard. Besiktas’s president personally entered into negotiations, proposing a loan deal with a €5 million fee and a buy option of over €20 million.
However, the proposal was immediately rejected by Arsenal. The Gunners had no intention of letting Trossard leave, especially after the window had closed for them. Trossard also reportedly agreed to a new contract in August and is committed to staying in the Premier League.
This marks the second time in a year that Arsenal has rebuffed a bid for the Belgian, having also rejected an offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad last year.
Undeterred, Besiktas also approached Liverpool for a loan deal for Federico Chiesa, who had recently been left out of the team’s Champions League squad for the first six months. Besiktas offered a loan fee similar to their bid for Trossard.
However, Liverpool manager Arne Slot, sporting director Richard Hughes, and Chiesa himself were all against the move.
The Italian winger reportedly wanted to stay at Liverpool to fight for his place and focus on domestic competitions. Despite Besiktas offering a guaranteed starting role ahead of a potential World Cup, the player was not swayed.
With their top targets out of reach, Besiktas ultimately secured a loan deal for Jota Silva from Nottingham Forest. The forward had been close to joining Sporting CP before that deal fell through, allowing Besiktas to step in and finalize the transfer.