Besiktas confirm Mohamed Salah talks but have 'stepped away from the table for now'

Besiktas are in talks with free agent Mohamed Salah, according to their sporting director Önder Özent.

The Turkish club have gone as far as to make an offer to the former Liverpool forward, with Özent confirming that an offer has been made by the Turkish club.

However, Özent has issued a 'take it or leave it' decree over this offer, saying that Besiktas will not improve the terms on the table.

The sporting director added that Salah's camp is in talks with another team as the Egyptian weighs up where to play after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season. 

"Besiktas' offer, made on its own terms, is on the table," Özent told a news conference, according to Turkish outlet Fanatik.

"If a response to this offer comes, it can be evaluated. But Besiktas will not make another offer.

"They've said they're in talks with another club as well; perhaps they'll reach an agreement there.

"Our final offer to Salah is the last word -- one that doesn't compromise Besiktas' club identity."

According to Özent, Besiktas have met with Salah's representatives multiple times, but conversations around "commission" have slowed discussions.

"We met with Salah three times without delving into the financial aspects of the negotiations," he said. "Everything was going smoothly up to that point. Once the financial discussions began, the smooth progress seen on the first day started to slow down as of July 21.

- Liverpool's Federico Chiesa eager for 'fresh start' under Andoni Iraola
- Did World Cup help or hinder your Premier League team? How tournament affected each club
- Premier League 2026 summer transfers: All confirmed ins, outs for every club

"Requests began to emerge that would bring both the flow of information and the financial side to a standstill. I can assume that a respected athlete like Salah was unaware of this.

"The club has a policy, and it cannot deviate from that policy. Our president identified the line he would not cross very clearly and stood his ground. Management is a legal business; there is a legally established commission rate, and exceeding that would constitute an illegal situation.

"When it comes to Beşiktaş, avoiding such a situation is a requirement of being a Besiktas supporter. The president, by not making a populist decision, has 'stepped away from the table for now.'"