Mohamed Salah ‘demands €15m a year’ as agent flies to Istanbul for Besiktas talks

Mohamed Salah is seeking a €15m (£12.7m) annual salary to join Besiktas, according to Turkish reports, as the Egyptian star’s agent arrives in Istanbul for what could be one of the most dramatic transfers in the club’s history.

Turkish sports daily Fantik says Salah’s representative, Colombian agent Ramy Abbas, has travelled to Istanbul to explore a potential deal following an approach to Besiktas’s hierarchy in recent days.

Salah left Liverpool this summer after nine years at Anfield, a spell in which he etched his name “in golden letters” in the history of world football with a Champions League title, a Premier League crown and a host of individual records.

Salary demands the key stumbling block

Fantik reports that negotiations between Besiktas and Abbas are under way but remain complicated by a significant financial gap between the two sides.

The paper says Salah has made it clear he wants €15m per season to sign for the Istanbul club, a figure that currently stands as the main obstacle to any agreement. The 32-year-old is said to be insistent on a salary that reflects his status as one of the leading players in the global game.

The talks are understood to be focused on the value and structure of the contract, with Besiktas weighing the financial risk of a marquee signing against the potential sporting and commercial impact of landing a player of Salah’s stature.

Family keen on Turkey, Saudi move ‘not appealing’

According to the Turkish report, Salah is “showing a great desire” to embark on a new challenge in Turkey, with his family reportedly favouring a move to Istanbul.

The article adds that the forward is not enthusiastic about playing in the Saudi Pro League at this stage of his career, despite intense interest from Saudi clubs over the past year. That stance could strengthen Besiktas’s position, with Turkey viewed as Salah’s preferred destination if financial terms can be met.

The lifestyle on offer in Istanbul and the chance to spearhead a historic project at one of Turkey’s traditional giants are said to be key factors in the player’s thinking.

Crucial meeting expected within hours

Fantik reports that a face-to-face meeting between the Besiktas board and Abbas is expected “in the coming hours” as both parties attempt to narrow differences and determine whether a deal is realistic.

Club officials are believed to be exploring various options to bridge the salary gap, including bonuses and performance-related add-ons, though no details have been disclosed publicly.

Any agreement would likely make Salah one of the highest-paid players in Turkish football history.

Besiktas fans on alert for ‘one of the biggest signings’

Supporters of the Black Eagles are closely following every twist in the talks, with local media describing the potential move as one of the strongest and most high-profile transfers in Besiktas’s history if it were to go through.

The prospect of Salah lining up in black and white next season has generated huge excitement on Turkish social media, where fans have been debating how the former Liverpool forward could transform the team’s domestic and European prospects.

For now, however, the deal hinges on whether Besiktas can meet or come close to Salah’s €15m-a-year demand and whether both sides are willing to compromise to complete what would be one of the standout moves of the summer transfer window.