Besiktas deny missing out on Mohamed Salah as Trabzonspor transfer confirmed

Besiktas president Serdal Adalı says the club did not lose out to Trabzonspor in the race to sign Mohamed Salah, insisting they had never intended to pursue the Egypt international.

Trabzonspor have formally completed the signing of Salah during the current transfer window and will present him to their supporters on Friday.

Adalı addressed criticism directed at him after Salah’s move to the Turkish club, rejecting suggestions that Besiktas had been involved in negotiations before another club secured the deal.

“We did not lose the deal for Salah. We did not want him in the first place,” Adalı told a news conference.

“It is being said that we were hijacked in the deal or that we failed to sign him, but this is not true. We were not on that path from the beginning.”

The Besiktas president said comments made previously by the club’s manager had been misunderstood. The coach had used the word “currently” while discussing Salah, Adalı said, out of respect for the player’s career and character.

“Our coach explained the matter at a news conference,” he added. “His use of the word ‘currently’ was motivated by respect for the player’s career and personality, but some people interpreted it incorrectly.”

Adalı also dismissed the idea that Trabzonspor had intervened late in negotiations to take Salah from Besiktas.

“The situation is being portrayed as if we were at the negotiating table and then another club came and took the player from us,” he said. “That is completely untrue. During my time, no club has managed to hijack a player we wanted, and our relationship with Trabzonspor is extremely good.”

He said Besiktas had made a deliberate decision not to sign Salah, rather than being unable to agree a deal.

“We did not fail to sign the player; we decided not to sign him,” Adalı said. “We wish him success. We have been following a clear plan since the beginning of the season and will continue to strengthen the team carefully.”

Besiktas are still expected to make further additions before the transfer window closes. Adalı said the club would announce new signings when the time was right, while warning that the value of a transfer would ultimately be judged by performances on the pitch.

“There are other deals coming in the coming period and we will announce them at the appropriate time,” he said. “Such deals remain a topic of discussion for a few days, but the real judgement comes on the field.”

Adalı ended his comments by confirming that Besiktas are working on a move for Dusan Vlahovic, while denying any negotiations for Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz.

“We are working on signing Dusan Vlahovic. There are no negotiations to sign Brahim Diaz,” he said.

Salah arrived in Turkey early on Tuesday to complete his move to Trabzonspor. He wore the club’s shirt for the first time on the plane after landing in the country.

The forward also sent a message to Trabzonspor supporters, saying: “Trabzon, are you ready? I can hear you, and I will see you for the first time.”

Salah is due to undergo a medical examination in Trabzon before signing his contract with the Turkish club. He will reportedly agree a two-year deal worth 17m euros per season, with additional clauses and bonuses included.