«We’re waiting for the announcement», exclaims Taha, a Besiktas supporter seated on the stadium steps overlooking the Bosphorus. The 24-year-old scans his phone for updates on Mohamed Salah (34), the free-agent Egyptian winger whose potential arrival in Istanbul has sent shockwaves through Turkey’s football world. Local reports suggest an agreement is near: a one-year deal with performance-based bonuses, reportedly worth €12 million.

Why this transfer would be historic

Football analysts are unanimous: Salah’s move to Besiktas would eclipse even the club’s signing of Quaresma (2015–2019) and Osimhen’s high-profile transfer to Galatasaray in 2024. «It would be the largest transfer in the club’s history—and possibly the entire Turkish league», says Eren Tutel, Besiktas specialist at BirGün. «No signing combines this level of sporting excellence, global recognition, and commercial appeal.»

Salah’s trophy cabinet—three Premier League titles (2015 with Chelsea; 2020 and 2025 with Liverpool) and a Champions League crown (2019)—arrives in Turkey alongside his status as Egypt’s most beloved athlete. Caner Isbegendiren of Fanatik notes: «He’s more than a player; he’s an ambassador for Egypt.» Yet the journalist cautions that negotiations remain fluid, with an official announcement pending.

Besiktas’ desperate gamble to reclaim glory

Besiktas hasn’t won a Süper Lig title since 2021, and fans are desperate for a revival. The club’s morale hit rock bottom last season, finishing fourth behind archrivals Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Trabzonspor. «A video went viral this week of a supporter waking from surgery, frantically checking his phone for news of Salah’s signing», shares Tutel.

To stem the decline, Besiktas has already secured Belgian winger Leandro Trossard from Arsenal for €18 million. The 31-year-old, fresh off an English Premier League title, was greeted by 20,000 chanting fans—but the crowd’s chants of «Salah! Salah!» overshadowed even his presentation. «This signing could attract other marquee names», Tutel predicts. «Besiktas needs to build a balanced squad around him—a mistake they’ve made repeatedly in recent years.»

At the club store beneath the stadium, 32-year-old Ali adjusts his black-and-white scarf. «I came to see the new-season jerseys, but I’ll wait to buy Salah’s», he admits. Should the deal finalize, the merchandise racks—and Istanbul’s airports—will be besieged by fans eager to welcome the Egyptian star.