Mohamed Salah ‘agrees’ surprise Besiktas move on reduced salary – reports

Mohamed Salah has reached a verbal agreement to join Turkish side Besiktas on a free transfer, accepting a deal worth less than half of his Liverpool salary, according to reports in Europe.

The Egyptian forward, 34, is said to have given the green light to a one-year contract with the Istanbul club, with an option to extend for a further season.

The move would see one of the Premier League era’s most prolific forwards swap Anfield for the Turkish Super Lig after nine years at Liverpool.

New deal on the table

French journalist Santi Aouna, described in local coverage as a trusted reporter, is quoted as saying Besiktas have struck a verbal agreement with Salah over a summer move.

Under the reported terms, Salah would earn €10m (£8.4m) per year in basic salary, with a further €2m (£1.7m) available in bonuses and add‐ons.

That package represents a significant pay cut compared with his previous contract at Liverpool, where he is understood to have earned around €24m annually.

Salah is currently a free agent after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season, making any transfer to Besiktas a free move with no fee due to the Premier League club.

Initial demands not met

Reports say Salah’s camp had initially pushed for a far more lucrative and longer agreement as he explored his options following his Liverpool exit.

The forward was said to be seeking a three-year contract, with a salary in the region of €15m per season.

Those terms were not accepted, and the eventual understanding with Besiktas is for a shorter deal with lower guaranteed wages and performance-related add-ons.

Despite that, the package would still put Salah among the highest earners in Turkish football if the agreement is finalised.

Seventh club of glittering career

If the move is completed, Besiktas would become the seventh club of Salah’s professional career.

He began at Egyptian side Al Mokawloon Al Arab (Arab Contractors), before moving to Europe with Swiss champions Basel.

A transfer to Chelsea followed, but he struggled for regular minutes at Stamford Bridge and was loaned, then sold, to Serie A – first Fiorentina, then Roma.

Salah’s career exploded after joining Liverpool in 2017, where under Jurgen Klopp he became one of the world’s most feared forwards.

The article states he spent nine seasons at Anfield between 2017 and 2026, during which he amassed a host of team and individual honours.

Legacy at Liverpool

During his time with the Reds, Salah won the Premier League title twice and lifted the Champions League once, according to the report.

He also collected numerous personal accolades and broke several club and league scoring records, cementing his status as one of Liverpool’s modern greats.

A transfer to Besiktas would mark a new chapter in that storied career, taking him to a league where Turkish clubs have increasingly targeted big-name free agents in recent years.

Besiktas, traditionally one of the country’s “big three” alongside Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, would be hoping Salah’s arrival could help power a return to domestic dominance and deeper European runs.

The move has not yet been officially announced by either Besiktas or Salah’s camp, and no formal contract has been signed, but the reported verbal agreement suggests the Turkish side are closing in on one of the most eye-catching signings of the summer window.