Besiktas president Serdal Adali has insisted that his club never attempted to sign Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, following the player’s decision to join Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Salah completed a free transfer to Trabzonspor on a two-year contract after holding discussions with several Turkish clubs, including Besiktas. The move sparked debate among supporters, particularly after reports suggested Besiktas had been involved in negotiations before Trabzonspor secured the deal.
However, Adali rejected those claims and said his club had no intention of completing a deal for the former Liverpool star.
Speaking through Besiktas’ official platforms, Adali said: “I have been following what has been happening since yesterday with regret. We did not sign Salah, we did not request to sign Salah and we did not sign him. There is no ‘hijacking’ of the deal from us, and our fans should know that.”
The Besiktas president added that sporting director Onder had already addressed the issue publicly and handled the situation professionally.
He said: “Mr. Onder, the sporting director, clarified this matter at the press conference. He acted tactfully and respected the player’s career. In my time, no one can snatch a player from Besiktas. We have good relations with Trabzonspor, and we are continuing to make our signings according to what we planned since the beginning of the season.”
Adali also dismissed the significance of the attention surrounding Salah’s transfer, arguing that performances on the pitch would ultimately determine success.
He said: “These things are decided on the pitch. The hype and celebrations that accompany such deals only last for 3 or 5 days, and everything will be clear on the pitch. We are a good team, trust that, and we will see what happens next season.”
The Besiktas president was also questioned about reactions from supporters during the presentation of Belgian forward Leandro Trossard, when fans were heard chanting Salah’s name and calling for the club to sign the Egyptian.
Adali said the reaction had been misunderstood and that his facial expressions were wrongly interpreted.
He explained: “After the fans chanted Salah’s name during Trossard’s presentation, everyone started making interpretations based on my facial expressions. I tell you honestly, at that moment I didn’t even hear what the fans were chanting!”
He continued: “A lot of things were said because of my facial expressions, as if the deal was already done… He wasn’t even in our plans or program to begin with. It took some time to try and include him in the plan, and even Mr. Onder, the sporting director, didn’t know about it until 12 days later. We are managing the transfer window exactly as we planned it, and thank God there are no setbacks.”
Adali also revealed that discussions with Salah’s representatives created difficulties during the attempted negotiations.
He said: “You know me well, I don’t get bogged down in financial details, but we encountered things with the player’s agent that we had never experienced or seen before. I believe what happened was for the best. When the time comes, some facts will come to light, and everyone will understand the real reason why this deal didn’t go through.”
The comments follow earlier remarks from Adali, who told WinWin that Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas had requested a commission reportedly reaching 35% of the deal’s total value.
According to Adali, that demand was unacceptable from his perspective and contributed to the failure of negotiations.
Salah’s move to Trabzonspor now brings an end to the speculation surrounding his next destination, while Besiktas continue preparations for the new season with their own transfer plans.
For Adali, the controversy surrounding the Egyptian international’s transfer is now closed, with the club president maintaining that Besiktas were never in a position to lose out on a player they had not officially pursued.
