Besiktas has explained the latest on their pursuit of Mohamed Salah
Image Credits: Imago Images
It appears that Besiktas’ proposed move for Mohamed Salah has broken down.
In a press conference, as quoted by Murat Özen, Besiktas sporting director Önder Özen has stated:
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“We got in touch with a superstar like Salah. Salah is a global star, a respected footballer.
“We conducted our work regarding this. Studies were done down to jersey consumption levels. It seemed appealing to his club.
“In the first stage of the talks, I met twice, and our Italian coach met once. I explained the team roster, our playing philosophy, and our fans to him. The next day, our coach had a meeting on tactical details.
“Everything flowed smoothly up to this point. In the financial process, demands came in that would deadlock the negotiations. I don’t think Salah was aware of these. Incredible demands emerged regarding image rights. Our president determined where to stand and stood firm. There’s the agent’s commission amount. For now, we’ve stepped away from the table.”
Ozen’s comments provide the clearest explanation yet of why negotiations stalled after weeks of speculation linking Salah with a move to the Turkish giants. According to the sporting director, discussions over the sporting side of the transfer progressed positively before financial issues brought talks to a halt.
The former Liverpool forward has been one of Besiktas’ marquee targets following his departure from Anfield at the end of the 2025-26 season. Turkish reports claimed the club had held extensive talks with Salah and his representatives, while Besiktas president Serdal Adalı previously confirmed negotiations had taken place.
Adalı also stated that Besiktas had submitted what he described as their final official offer after discussing the player’s demands and requested a response within a short period. However, he later claimed the negotiations became increasingly difficult because of financial demands made during the process.
Both Adalı and Özen have pointed to image rights and agent commission as the principal obstacles. Özen suggested he was unsure whether Mohamed Salah himself was aware of the demands, while Adalı previously alleged that commission requests increased significantly after reports emerged that a deal had effectively been agreed.
Despite Besiktas stepping away from the negotiating table for now, neither club official has ruled out the possibility of future discussions. Özen specifically described the club’s position as having “stepped away from the table” rather than declaring negotiations permanently over.
Besiktas
Mohamed Salah
Önder Özen