Besiktas have stepped away from negotiations to sign former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah after talks over the financial terms of a move reached a standstill.
The 34-year-old has been available as a free agent since bringing his nine-year spell at Anfield to an end this summer.
A move to Istanbul had appeared to be gathering pace, but the Turkish side are no longer prepared to improve their proposal.
According to reports from the Liverpool Echo, Besiktas director Onder Ozen said the club met with Salah three times before financial discussions caused the process to slow after July 21.
Why Besiktas Refused To Improve Their Salah Offer
Ozen confirmed Besiktas explored a financing model for the deal and described Salah as a global star, but claimed negotiations changed once the two parties began discussing money.
We met with Salah three times before the financial part of the negotiations was discussed.
Onder Ozen via Anadolu Agency
The director explained that the discussions had progressed smoothly until requests began arriving which, from the club’s perspective, disrupted communication and created a financial deadlock.
He also suggested Salah himself might not have known about those demands. That remains Besiktas’ account of events, with neither the player nor his representatives quoted in the two reports.
Ozen did not disclose the figures involved, but said the disagreement concerned image-rights demands and representative commission.
However, he made clear that president Serdal Adali would not move beyond the financial position already set by Besiktas.
Although no transfer fee would be due, recruiting a free agent of Salah’s stature would still require a substantial overall package.
Wages, bonuses, representative fees and commercial arrangements can all determine whether such a deal is viable.
The club’s stance means there will be no improved offer, although the proposal already presented to Salah has not been formally withdrawn.
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Transfer Still Possible Despite Negotiation Standstill
Besiktas will not make another offer.
Onder Ozen via Anadolu Agency
If the forward accepts the existing terms, the Turkish club are prepared to evaluate his response. For now, however, Besiktas consider their final proposal to be the furthest they are prepared to go without compromising club policy.
Ozen also claimed Salah’s representatives had informed Besiktas that they were speaking to another club. He did not name that side, leaving the Egyptian’s next destination unresolved with the new season approaching.
This development provides a significant update from the earlier optimism surrounding the move. Besiktas had emerged as a plausible destination for one of the market’s most decorated free agents, but the transfer is no longer advancing unless Salah’s side returns on the club’s terms.
What Comes Next For Mohamed Salah?
Salah left Liverpool after scoring 257 goals in 442 appearances across nine seasons. He won two Premier League titles and the Champions League among a host of major honours.
His 193 Premier League goals place him fourth on the competition’s all-time list, while he also collected four Golden Boots during his time in England.
That record ensures Salah should have alternatives, despite the financial demands involved in signing a player of his profile.
Saudi Arabian clubs have long been linked with him, while a move to Major League Soccer has also been suggested.
Besiktas could still offer Salah the chance to remain in European football and become the central figure in an ambitious project.
The club have already added former Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard as they attempt to challenge for a first Turkish title since 2021.
Yet their latest position is closer to a take-it-or-leave-it offer than an active negotiation. Unless either side softens its stance, Salah will have to pursue one of his other options as he decides where to begin the final stage of his career.
