Mohamed Salah’s potential move to Besiktas faces agent commission hurdles
Reports indicate that a potential transfer of Mohamed Salah to Besiktas has encountered difficulties, primarily due to agent commission demands. While the Egyptian star had reportedly given his approval for the move, negotiations have stalled over financial terms.
Besiktas president Serdal Adali stated that Salah had verbally agreed to a deal. However, Adali claimed that Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas, subsequently increased his commission request to a figure that the club deemed excessive, leading them to withdraw from the deal. Adali specified that the agent’s commission demands reached approximately 35%, a percentage the club found unacceptable.
Adali also mentioned that the club believes Salah might not be aware of these specific financial demands, as negotiations were solely conducted with Abbas. He further indicated that Salah had spoken with the club’s technical and sporting directors and provided his approval for the transfer.
Financial Strategy and Negotiation Details
Besiktas is exploring a financial strategy to secure Salah, potentially using a sponsor-backed model similar to the one that facilitated Cristiano Ronaldo‘s transfer to Juventus in 2018. This approach aims to involve a major commercial partner to cover a significant portion of the costs associated with Salah’s wages and related expenses, thereby alleviating the financial burden on the club.
Discussions regarding Salah’s contract have centered on a one-year agreement with an option for a second season. Reports suggest that Salah has adjusted his salary expectations to make a move to Besiktas more feasible, including performance-related bonuses.
The club’s leadership views Salah’s potential arrival as beneficial beyond his on-field performance. They anticipate that his presence would enhance the club’s commercial appeal through increased shirt sales, ticket demand, and international sponsorship opportunities, strengthening Besiktas‘s presence across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
This pursuit follows Besiktas‘s recent recruitment efforts, which include the signing of Belgian winger Leandro Trossard from Arsenal. The club’s officials have, however, dismissed claims that an agreement has already been reached for Salah, emphasizing that negotiations are ongoing and no transfer is complete until all financial details are finalized and contracts are signed.
Speculation and Future Prospects
Salah has been linked with various leagues, including the Saudi Roshn League, the American League, the Italian League, and the Turkish League. Recent reports have intensified speculation about a move to Turkey, with Besiktas identified as a potential destination.
Despite the current impasse, the deal is considered by some to remain possible under certain conditions. Salah is expected to visit Istanbul to attend a concert by Egyptian music icon Amr Diab. This visit has fueled speculation that Besiktas officials might use the opportunity to meet with the 34-year-old player to continue negotiations and address the outstanding financial obstacles.
The relationship between Salah and Diab is described as close, making the concert a natural part of Salah’s summer schedule. While the trip itself is not directly related to the transfer, Turkish media suggest it could provide a setting for further discussions as Besiktas works to finalize the transfer.
If successful, securing Salah would be considered a significant signing in Süper Lig history, underscoring Besiktas‘s ambition to compete for domestic honors and make a deeper impact in European competitions. The club’s official statement denied reports about first-team transfer business, including the Salah deal, even as some reports insisted Besiktas is working to secure a sponsor to cover the deal in full.
The agent for Mohamed Salah, Ramy Abbas, indicated on social media that he did not yet know where Salah would play next season.
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Source: goal.com
