Besiktas Targets Mohamed Salah with Presidential Backing

Besiktas are mounting a high-profile push to sign Egypt captain Mohamed Salah, and the move has gained unusual political momentum. Turkish media outlets, including SOZCU, report that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is closely following the negotiations and has urged the club's chairman, Serdal Adali, to provide regular updates on the talks. Erdoğan is said to believe that bringing a global star of Salah's stature to the Turkish Süper Lig would deliver a significant technical and commercial boost to the league's international profile.

According to journalist Doğan Gündoğdu, Adali has been in direct contact with Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas, to settle the financial terms of the deal. The proposal on the table is a one-year contract, with an option for a second season, worth an annual salary of around €10 million plus bonus payments tied to goals and team results. While no deal has been finalised, the involvement of the country's head of state signals an intent to pull off one of the biggest transfers in Turkish football history.

For Salah, the approach offers a radically different challenge from his current club career in England. The move would mark the end of an era at Liverpool – where his contract situation has been subject to ongoing speculation – and immediately make him the face of the Turkish top flight. As the summer transfer window progresses, Besiktas are intensifying their efforts, and any breakthrough would reverberate far beyond the pitch.

Why Erdoğan Sees Salah as a Game-Changer for Turkish Football

The Erdoğan Factor

The president's personal interest transforms a routine transfer rumour into a story with political and soft-power overtones. Erdoğan’s camp reportedly views Salah’s global brand – particularly across the Middle East and Africa – as a vehicle to raise Turkey's sporting prestige and attract international attention to the Süper Lig. Unlike typical club pursuits, this bid carries the implicit weight of state-level endorsement, which could unlock sponsorship or diplomatic goodwill that a club alone might not command.

The Financial Package on the Table

At €10 million per season plus performance bonuses, the offer is ambitious by Turkish league standards but remains well below the €18-20 million annual net salaries believed to be available at top Premier League or Saudi Pro League clubs. Making the numbers work would almost certainly require external commercial backing – whether through state-linked enterprises or bespoke sponsorships – which the Erdoğan connection may facilitate. The one-year structure also limits long-term risk for Besiktas while dangling the possibility of a lucrative extension if the experiment succeeds.

What It Would Mean for the Süper Lig

Securing Salah would instantly elevate the league's viewership and media rights value, particularly in Egypt and the wider Arab world. Besiktas would gain a marquee name capable of boosting shirt sales, attendances and international merchandise revenue. However, the gap between Turkey's domestic competition and the elite European leagues remains significant, and questions linger over whether a player at Salah's level would risk his Champions League legacy for a season on the Bosphorus.