Besiktas have paused negotiations for Mohamed Salah and won’t improve their final offer, sporting director Önder Özen said.
Özen announced the decision during a press conference at the club’s Training Facilities, bringing the latest round of talks to an end after Besiktas president Serdal Adalı refused to make further concessions.
“The Salah file has been shelved for us for now,” Özen said. He praised Adalı for rejecting what he described as a decision that would “compromise the club’s financial principles.”
However, Özen stopped short of declaring the proposed transfer completely dead, saying Besiktas would “assess a positive response” to their existing proposal but would not submit revised terms.
“Besiktas will not make another offer,” he said.
Salah’s camp also reportedly told the club that they had entered talks with another club. Özen said he did not believe that team came from Turkey.
Özen warned that a delayed acceptance might come too late if Besiktas complete an alternative signing and no longer have space in the squad.
The sporting director confirmed that Besiktas had treated their interest in Salah as both a sporting and commercial project.
The club conducted a feasibility study into the 34-year-old’s potential impact on shirt sales and overseas revenue before opening negotiations.
Özen said he spoke with Salah twice to explain the project and the reception he could expect in Istanbul. Head coach Vincenzo Italiano also held a separate conversation with the Egypt captain about tactical matters.
However, negotiations stalled over commission and proposed shares of commercial income.
Özen argued that Besiktas could not exceed its established commission limits or grant Salah’s representatives terms unavailable to other players.
Adalı previously alleged that Salah’s representative, Ramy Abbas Issa, had raised his commission demand to approximately 35%. Abbas has not publicly addressed that allegation.
Salah remains a free agent after ending his nine-year Liverpool career. The forward scored 257 goals and provided 120 assists in 442 appearances for the English club, won two Premier League titles, the Champions League and five other major trophies at Anfield.