Besiktas withdraws offer for Salah
The prospect of Mohamed Salah joining a Major League Soccer club has reportedly increased after Beşiktaş indicated they would not make a further offer for the player. Salah’s decision to leave Liverpool a year early was announced in March, and he departed the club at the end of May after nine seasons. His next club move has not yet been decided.
Beşiktaş sporting director Önder Özen stated that initial discussions with Salah’s representatives proceeded smoothly. However, financial discussions, which began after the first three meetings, reportedly caused a slowdown in negotiations. Özen indicated that requests emerged which disrupted the flow of information and created a financial deadlock, suggesting the player’s representatives were responsible.
Özen confirmed that Beşiktaş‘s proposal to Salah is considered final. He stated that the club has a firm policy and will not deviate from it, with the president clearly defining the club’s position. Özen added that if a response is received to their existing offer, it can be evaluated, but no new offer will be made. He also mentioned that Salah’s representatives indicated they were in talks with another club.
Sporting Kansas City’s pursuit
Sporting Kansas City (SKC) reportedly emerged as a leading MLS suitor for Salah approximately three weeks ago. There is a reported two-year offer awaiting a response from the player. SKC, which has been part of MLS since its inaugural season in 1996, has not previously had an international superstar in its squad.
Efforts were previously made to sign Cristiano Ronaldo when he left Manchester United in late 2022, with SKC holding his MLS Discovery Rights. At that time, the salary package offered to Ronaldo by Kansas City was described as substantial. SKC currently has an open Designated Player (DP) spot on its 2026 roster, with only midfielder Manu García and forward Dejan Joveljić holding DP tags. García’s guaranteed compensation for 2026 is reported to be over $2.4 million, and Joveljić’s is $3.3 million.
During his final season at Liverpool, Salah’s earnings were estimated to be around $28 million. In the entire MLS, only Lionel Messi‘s guaranteed compensation is at a comparable level. Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas stated earlier in 2026 that Messi earns approximately $80 million annually, indicating various methods exist to attract international stars financially. In January, reports indicated that a $700 million deal, an MLS record, was transferring majority control of SKC to Peter Mallouk, a financial adviser and wealth management billionaire whose parents are Egyptian immigrants.
Trabzonspor denies Salah link
Meanwhile, Trabzonspor has denied reports linking the club to Mohamed Salah. Rumours had circulated in Turkey that Trabzonspor had reached a preliminary agreement with the Egyptian star, following stalled negotiations between Salah and Beşiktaş. One website even claimed a preliminary agreement had been struck, which generated significant discussion on social media.
Trabzonspor president Ertuğrul Doğan swiftly refuted these claims, stating that all reports linking his club to Salah were untrue. Doğan was definitive, declaring that the claims regarding Salah’s transfer were baseless, thereby closing the door on these rumours. Earlier press reports had suggested that Beşiktaş had made an offer to Salah for a two-season deal, including a guaranteed annual salary of 15 million euros and an additional 4 million euros in performance-related incentives. These reports also indicated that Beşiktaş management temporarily froze the deal due to disagreements over image rights and agents’ fees, which contributed to the speculation linking Salah with Trabzonspor before the official denial.
The situation with Beşiktaş‘s interest in Salah is reportedly linked to their pursuit of Matias Soulé. According to one report, Beşiktaş is interested in Soulé, with coach Vincenzo Italiano reportedly advocating for the move. While no official offer has been made for Soulé, Beşiktaş is said to be monitoring the situation and has added the Argentine player to their list of targets. The 2003-born player has reportedly spoken with Italiano, who approved of the move. The negotiations for Salah reportedly stalled due to a lack of agreement on player commissions and image rights.
The Beşiktaş president, Serdal Adalı, had previously spoken publicly on the matter, reportedly to exert pressure. However, it appears the Süper Lig team’s efforts to sign Salah are facing significant challenges.
Source: si.com
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