Besiktas move for Mohamed Salah edges closer after financial breakthrough

Besiktas are understood to be close to an agreement with Mohamed Salah after previously abandoning negotiations over the financial demands involved in bringing the Egypt forward to Istanbul.

The Turkish club had prepared an attractive proposal for the two-time African Ballon d’Or winner, with a contract worth about 20m euros per season, including bonuses. However, the offer did not meet the expectations of Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas, whose demands were considered excessive and caused the discussions to stall.

Besiktas stopped negotiations at the beginning of the week after deciding that the club was unwilling to increase its financial commitment. That decision appeared to leave Salah facing an uncertain situation with the start of the season only a few weeks away.

The latest developments, however, suggest that the proposed transfer could now be moving towards a positive conclusion. An agreement is believed to be imminent, with terms expected to be particularly favourable to Salah and his representatives.

Salah’s name has been regularly linked with Besiktas, and the Turkish club’s interest has been strengthened by its willingness to prepare a major financial package. The proposed annual value of about 20m euros, bonuses included, underlines the scale of the offer being considered for the experienced forward.

Despite that proposal, negotiations initially failed to progress because of the gap between the club’s offer and the requirements set by Abbas. Besiktas’s decision to halt the talks showed that it did not intend to make further financial concessions at that stage.

The situation has since changed, with the prospect of an agreement now appearing much closer than it did earlier in the week. While the details have not been fully concluded, Salah and his camp are reportedly in a strong position as the two sides approach a possible deal.

For Besiktas, completing the agreement would represent the culmination of an effort to attract one of Africa’s most prominent players to Istanbul. For Salah, the emerging terms would provide a highly lucrative contract at a time when the new season is approaching.

The player’s future remains the central issue, but the latest indication is that the impasse caused by the financial demands of his representatives may be nearing an end. What appeared to be a deal blocked by the agent’s expectations could now result in an agreement offering Salah and his camp conditions they consider highly favourable.