History repeats itself! Salah gets the Sergio Ramos treatment in Istanbul

Besiktas boss Serdal Adali revealed in Turkey this weekend how sudden financial demands from Mohamed Salah's camp halted a blockbuster free transfer.

The race to sign the summer's most high profile free agent has taken a dramatic turn in Istanbul. Following weeks of intense rumors linking former Liverpool icon Mohamed Salah with a move to the Turkish Super Lig, Besiktas has officially broken its silence.

While a preliminary agreement seemed within reach after the prolific forward left Anfield on 30 June, the club issued an urgent statement to clarify the chaotic situation.

According to the prominent Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, Besiktas President Serdal Adalı confirmed that while major progress had been achieved, the entire deal ground to a halt due to sudden shifts from the player's representatives.

Adalı revealed that as soon as global media outlets began reporting that the transfer was a done deal, Salah's camp abruptly altered their financial expectations attempting to drive the contract terms up to completely unrealistic heights.

Financial sanity over star power

The Turkish giants flatly refused to give in to the intense pressure. Adalı emphasized that while the club holds immense admiration for the Egyptian national team captain and matches his sporting ambitions, they will never compromise the institution's economic stability for a single superstar.

He reassured passionate fans that while communication lines remain open, the board will only proceed under terms that respect the club’s strict budget.

A familiar script in Istanbul

This high stakes negotiation deadlock is a very familiar script for the Black Eagles. Back in the summer of 2023, Besiktas found themselves in an identical transfer saga with legendary Spanish defender Sergio Ramos after he left Paris Saint Germain.

The club went as far as releasing an official public statement explicitly naming Ramos confirming that despite weeks of positive contract talks, they officially pulled the plug due to the veteran's excessive financial demands.

Khaled Hegazy |

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Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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