Ahmed Hassan advises Mohamed Salah to choose Besiktas over Trabzonspor

Ahmed Hassan has advised Mohamed Salah to join Besiktas rather than Trabzonspor if the Egypt forward decides to move to the Turkish league.

A report by Foot Mercato said Trabzonspor were close to reaching an agreement with Salah after negotiations over a move to Besiktas broke down.

Hassan, the former Egypt captain and former Besiktas player, told FilGoal.com: “I feel that Mohamed Salah has a strong desire to join the Turkish league. In reality, it is a fierce and physically demanding league, and it is highly competitive. It is not as easy as some people imagine.”

Salah’s future has been the subject of speculation after he left Liverpool at the end of last season, having spent nine years with the club.

Hassan said Salah remained the best person to decide what should happen next, but explained that he would recommend Besiktas if asked to compare the two Turkish clubs.

“The best step for Salah? First of all, Salah himself understands his situation and his wishes better than anyone, and he is the one who will decide his future,” Hassan said.

“But if he personally asked for my opinion about choosing between a move to Besiktas or Trabzonspor, I would advise him to join Besiktas even if the financial offer was lower than Trabzonspor’s.

“Besiktas is a club with a huge fan base and is always competing for trophies, which, in my personal opinion, suits Salah.”

Hassan also said he had been told Besiktas previously reached an agreement to sign Salah, with businessmen supporting and intervening to help complete what would have been a major transfer.

“I learned that Besiktas had reached an agreement to sign Salah, with businessmen welcoming the move and intervening to complete this record deal,” he said.

“Everything had even been arranged for his presentation and all the details had been coordinated, but matters were disrupted by the demands of his agent, Ramy Abbas, over his commission. That delayed the official announcement at the time.”

Salah’s possible move to Turkey follows the failure of talks with Besiktas, while Trabzonspor have emerged as the club reportedly closest to securing an agreement with him.

Trabzonspor will compete in the Europa League next season after finishing third in the Turkish league last season. Hassan believes Besiktas’s profile, support and regular challenge for honours would make them a better fit for Salah, even if their financial proposal was not as lucrative as Trabzonspor’s.

The former Besiktas player also stressed the physical intensity and competitiveness of Turkish football, rejecting the idea that the league would represent an easy option for Salah.