Istanbul Awaits Mohamed Salah's Transfer to Besiktas

In Istanbul, the transfer saga around Mohamed Salah has spilled out of the boardroom and onto the streets – and into the fruit stalls.

One Turkish vendor has promised to give away 500 kilograms of watermelon if the Egyptian star signs for Besiktas. Half a tonne of fruit, gone in an instant, if the “Egyptian pharaoh” trades the Premier League for the Turkish league after leaving Liverpool this summer. It is not a marketing campaign. It is the kind of impulsive, emotional pledge that tells you how big this story has become.

An Al Jazeera account focused on Turkish news captured the mood in a video posted on Instagram: the vendor, standing by his watermelons, vowing to hand them out for free the moment Salah is officially unveiled in black and white. One player, one signature, and an entire neighbourhood eats on him.

Behind the noise, the real work has been happening in quieter corners. Turkish outlet NTVSpor reports that the long-running “crisis” over Salah’s move to Besiktas is close to being resolved. The club is said to have reached an agreement with the player himself; the final knot lies elsewhere.

The last major hurdle is the commission for Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas. Besiktas’ hierarchy, led by Serdal Adali, have been working on that problem with a deliberate calm. No public grandstanding, no leaks from the negotiating table – just steady, strategic talks with an agent known for driving a hard bargain.

According to reports, Abbas initially demanded a 35% commission. A huge figure. Too high for Besiktas. Yet the stance has softened. Step by step, the commission request has been reduced, bringing all parties closer to the point where pens come out and contracts turn from draft to reality.

Each concession has nudged the deal towards what sources describe as the “final signing stage”. Inside the club, optimism has grown. Outside, anticipation has turned almost theatrical, fuelled by clips of fruit vendors and fans who are already dreaming of Salah lighting up Vodafone Park.

Reports now suggest Besiktas are edging towards the moment they can officially announce the signing, pending agreement on those last, stubborn details with Abbas. When that announcement comes, Istanbul will celebrate in its own way.

Some will head to the stadium. Some will rush to buy shirts. And in at least one corner of the city, 500 kilograms of watermelon will be waiting for the Pharaoh’s first step onto Turkish soil.