Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reportedly sought an update from Besiktas president Serdal Adalı on Mohamed Salah.
Tivibu Spor commentator Dogan Gundogdu said Erdogan had taken an interest in Besiktas’s pursuit of the Egypt captain. The Turkish strongman reportedly believes Salah’s arrival would strengthen the country’s international profile beyond its sporting value, according to reports.
The political value Erdogan reportedly sees in the transfer rests largely on Salah’s reach outside football. The former Liverpool winger commands an audience spanning Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Arab world.
A move to Istanbul would therefore generate attention that few conventional Lig signings could provide. It would also allow Turkish football to compete for global visibility with Gulf leagues that have recruited Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, and other high-profile players in recent years.
Furthermore, the timing would suit Turkey’s wider sporting ambitions. Istanbul will host the 2026 Europa League final and 2027 Conference League final before Turkey jointly stages Euro 2032 with Italy.
Erdogan attended the opening of UEFA’s Istanbul office last year and said it would support the major football events Turkey plans to host.
Another aspect is that Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party has used football and bids for major events to project a positive image abroad and reinforce Turkey’s regional status.
Salah could provide an immediate positive story while Turkish football faces reputational damage from an extensive illegal-betting investigation. Authorities detained 17 club officials earlier this month as the probe continued to widen.
His nationality offers Erdogan another diplomatic advantage. Egypt and Turkey recently upgraded their relationship after a decade of tension and aim to increase annual trade from $9 billion to $15 billion by 2029.
The agreements signed during Erdogan’s February visit to Cairo included cooperation in youth and sport. Bringing Egypt’s most prominent athlete to Istanbul would provide a highly visible cultural link alongside those developing political and commercial ties.
There could also be a domestic political dividend. Besiktas’s supporter culture includes a strong anti-establishment tradition, and members of the club’s Çarşı group played a prominent role in the 2013 Gezi Park protests against Erdogan’s government.
Besiktas supporters also called for the government’s resignation following its response to the 2023 earthquakes, which took the life of former Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu.
Associating the presidency with a transfer widely demanded by those supporters could help Erdogan claim a share of its popularity beyond his traditional political base. However, it could also meet resistance if fans viewed his involvement as an attempt to appropriate a club achievement.
However, Adalı remains in talks with Salah’s representative, Ramy Abbas Issa, after a dispute over the proposed financial package delayed the transfer.
So far, reports claim the parties had agreed on a one-year contract with an option for another season. The reported deal would pay Salah €12 million annually.
Besiktas have rejected an alleged 35% commission demand from Ramy Abbas. Adalı now wants the player and his representative to make a final decision.
Salah’s camp has not commented on the commission claim. Abbas previously said he did not know where the 34-year-old would play next season.