Mohamed Salah, step by step to Besiktas

Besiktas' biggest story of the summer window is edging closer to a conclusion, one step at a time. According to Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, Mohamed Salah has requested a bank guarantee for the contract he has agreed with Besiktas. This stands out as a concrete new stage in the file.

The broad outlines of the contract have also become clear. According to Kartal Record, Besiktas have offered the Egyptian star a one-year contract that would automatically extend for a second season if he reaches a certain number of appearances; his annual salary, including bonuses, is reported to reach up to €12 million, while image rights remain unresolved. According to Foot Mercato's Santi Aouna and Jordan Pardon, the two sides have reached a verbal agreement, with the medical and signing targeted for early next week; Sacha Tavolieri also confirmed that Salah had given Besiktas the green light.

The process, however, has not been entirely smooth. Salah's lawyer Ramy Abbas Issa denied these reports on X, stating: "I personally do not know where Mohamed will play next season. What does that tell you?" Sabuncuoglu himself also noted that Salah and Besiktas were still negotiating over contract duration and image rights. Today's request for a bank guarantee is being read as a sign that these negotiations are moving towards a concrete signing stage.

The significance of the transfer is considerable. The 34-year-old Salah, who leaves Liverpool with a career tally of 257 goals and 120 assists in 442 appearances, has the potential to become one of the biggest transfers in club history for a Besiktas side looking to build an attacking line strong enough to rival Galatasaray and Fenerbahce following the Leandro Trossard signing; the player's family is reported to be willing to relocate to Istanbul, while he remains distant from the Saudi Arabia option.

Source: Yagiz Sabuncuoglu
Image: Al Jazeera