Besiktas Stands Firm in Mohamed Salah Pursuit
Besiktas have made their move for Mohamed Salah – and, according to sporting director Önder Özent, they have no intention of blinking first.
The Istanbul club have formally tabled an offer to the former Liverpool star, now a free agent, and are waiting for an answer. The message from the boardroom is blunt: this is the deal, take it or leave it.
“Besiktas' offer, made on its own terms, is on the table,” Özent told reporters, via Turkish outlet Fanatik. “If a response to this offer comes, it can be evaluated. But Besiktas will not make another offer.”
In a market where top-level forwards routinely trigger bidding wars, Besiktas are trying something different – setting a ceiling, then refusing to move. The stance is rooted in both principle and pragmatism.
Salah’s camp, Özent revealed, are also in talks with another club as the Egyptian weighs his next step after leaving Anfield at the end of last season. Besiktas know they are not alone in this chase, and they are choosing clarity over escalation.
“They've said they're in talks with another club as well; perhaps they'll reach an agreement there,” Özent admitted. “Our final offer to Salah is the last word — one that doesn't compromise Besiktas' club identity.”
Negotiations Stall Over Money and Commission
Behind the scenes, the courtship has been lengthy. Özent said Besiktas met Salah’s representatives three times, initially steering clear of the financial minefield.
“We met with Salah three times without delving into the financial aspects of the negotiations,” he explained. “Everything was going smoothly up to that point.”
Then came the numbers. The tone changed.
“Once the financial discussions began, the smooth progress seen on the first day started to slow down as of July 21,” Özent said.
The sticking point has not just been salary, but commission demands around the deal. According to Özent, those requests threatened to choke both the flow of information and the financial viability of the move.
“Requests began to emerge that would bring both the flow of information and the financial side to a standstill. I can assume that a respected athlete like Salah was unaware of this.”
That line is telling. Besiktas are careful not to aim their frustration directly at Salah himself, instead pointing toward the structures and intermediaries around him. Still, the club’s leadership has decided there are boundaries they will not cross.
Club Policy Over Populism
Özent stressed that Besiktas are bound by internal policy and legal frameworks, especially regarding commission rates. The club, he insisted, will not chase a marquee name at any cost.
“The club has a policy, and it cannot deviate from that policy,” he said. “Our president identified the line he would not cross very clearly and stood his ground. Management is a legal business; there is a legally established commission rate, and exceeding that would constitute an illegal situation.”
For a fanbase that prides itself on a strong sense of identity and defiance, this is being framed as a matter of principle as much as finance.
“When it comes to Beşiktaş, avoiding such a situation is a requirement of being a Besiktas supporter,” Özent added. He underlined that club president has “not made a populist decision” and has instead “stepped away from the table for now.”
That phrase – “for now” – leaves the door ajar. The offer remains where Besiktas left it, untouched but not withdrawn. Salah and his camp know exactly what is on the table in Istanbul. The club, in turn, know they have pushed their bid as far as they are willing to go.
The next move belongs to Salah.
