Besiktas confirm Mohamed Salah talks but step away now
Besiktas have confirmed talks with free agent Mohamed Salah but sporting director Önder Özent says the Turkish club have ‘stepped away from the table for now’ after financial and commission disputes slowed negotiations from July 21. Their final offer remains on the table, yet Besiktas will not improve it.
Key Takeaways
- Besiktas sporting director Önder Özent confirmed an offer to Mohamed Salah but said the club will not make another.
- Talks slowed from July 21 once financial and commission issues emerged after three earlier meetings.
- Özent said Salah’s camp is also speaking with another club as the free agent weighs options.
- Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said nothing is agreed yet, with MLS and Saudi clubs also linked.
The update lands as one of the biggest free-agent stories of the summer and sits alongside other celebrity breaking news gripping football fans across the US and UK.
Why did Besiktas step away from Mohamed Salah talks?
According to ESPN, Özent told a news conference that Besiktas made an offer “on its own terms” and will not submit another. He framed the club’s stance as protecting its identity rather than chasing a populist deal.
Özent said the sides met Salah three times before money entered the discussion, and early progress felt smooth. Once finances began, momentum slowed from July 21 as requests arrived that, in his view, disrupted information flow and risked deadlock.
He pointed to a legally set commission rate and said exceeding it would create an illegal situation. The president, he added, drew a clear line and “stepped away from the table for now” rather than bend club policy—even for a global star.
Is a Mohamed Salah move to Besiktas still possible?
Yes, narrowly. Özent stressed the existing offer can still be evaluated if Salah’s side responds. He also said agents indicated talks with another club, and Besiktas would not keep bidding against itself.
Fabrizio Romano, quoted by Football365, cautioned that reports of a sealed deal were premature. He said a sizable gap remains between the salary and contract Salah wants and what Besiktas are offering, so nothing is agreed.
Romano left the door ajar because Salah is a free agent and can change course quickly. For now, though, Besiktas are yet to reach a full agreement with the Egypt international.
Where else could Mohamed Salah go next?
After ending his Liverpool spell a year early following a dip in 2025-26 form, Salah is shopping the market. Football365 notes interest from Saudi side Al-Hilal and Turkish club Besiktas among the clubs jostling for him.
Romano said Salah is also weighing MLS and Saudi possibilities while assessing proposals. Daily Star reporting, citing the Mirror, echoed Özent’s account that Besiktas have withdrawn from active talks and will not revise their final offer.
At Anfield, Salah scored 257 goals and provided 123 assists in 442 appearances. Now 34 and a free agent, his next destination remains open—and Besiktas’ take-it-or-leave-it stance has only sharpened the suspense.