Galatasaray’s rival declares war on the champions: On Wednesday, striker Dusan Vlahovic’s move to Besiktas was made official. Last season’s fourth-place finisher is also bolstering its squad significantly.
Beşiktaş spent just under 20 million euros this summer to bring Leandro Trossard from Arsenal to Istanbul. The permanent signing of captain Orkun Kökcü is expected to cost up to 30 million euros, and the club also added left back Kassoum Ouattara (from Monaco), goalkeeper Alexander Nübel (FC Bayern), and midfield dynamo Salih Özcan (BVB).
According to sources close to the club, a “statement” signing was still missing following the unsuccessful attempt to sign Mohamed Salah. Until now, that is: On Wednesday, the signing of Dusan Vlahovic was made official. The Turks had been courting the Serbian striker for weeks, but the former Juventus Turin forward initially paid no attention to the offer.
After his contract in Italy expired, Vlahovic kept his options open. But it is now clear that he successfully fended off advances from Saudi Arabia and instead intends to make a splash with Besiktas in Turkey.
Shortly before the start of the Süper Lig season, Vlahovic signed a three-year contract running through June 30, 2029. He is set to earn an annual salary of eight million euros, underscoring his future status on the team.
Vlahovic, who reportedly waited a long time for an offer from FC Barcelona—which was on the hunt for a striker—has played exclusively in Serbia and Italy to date. He left his home club, Partizan Belgrade, in 2018 to try his luck in Florence. He made his breakthrough in the 2020–21 season with 21 Serie A goals, followed by 17 more in just half (!) of the subsequent season.
Rejected Juve’s offers to extend his contract
Juve subsequently intensified its efforts in January 2022 and secured his signature. However, his time with the Old Lady wasn’t always a love affair. Vlahovic also failed to match the numbers he posted during his time in Florence. Sixteen Serie A goals in the 2023–24 season remained his best tally for the Bianconeri.
At the end of last season, Vlahovic reportedly turned down several offers from Juve and let his contract expire, in part to put himself in a strong position for new contract negotiations. Besiktas remained persistent—and will now hope that the investment pays off.