'Oh Hyun-gyu as the frontman' dream of a three-top expected... Besiktas calls Salah acquisition rumors "completely fabricated"

*This content was translated by AI.

Korean national team striker Oh Hyun-gyu (25) saw hopes of playing alongside 'world-class' Mohamed Salah (34) at his club Besiktas (Turkey) vanish in an instant. Although reports emerged that Salah and Besiktas had agreed on contract terms for a transfer, both the club and the player's side strongly denied them.

British outlet "This Is Anfield," which primarily covers Liverpool news, reported on the 18th (Korea time) that "after reports surfaced in Turkey claiming Salah had agreed to join Besiktas as a free agent (FA), both Salah's agent and Besiktas strongly refuted them."

Earlier, Turkish football journalist Yagiz Sahbuncuolu claimed on his social media (SNS) that "Salah has agreed on contract terms with Besiktas," adding that "Salah lowered his salary demand from the originally requested weekly wage of 250,000 pounds (approximately 510 million won), and negotiations are currently underway regarding the contract duration."

However, Besiktas immediately issued an official statement dismissing the Salah acquisition rumors as "completely fabricated reports."

The club further stated, "This individual has long been spreading false transfer-related news about our club that has no connection to reality, misleading the public in the wrong direction," publicly criticizing journalist Sahbuncuolu.

Salah's agent, Rami Abbas Issa, also drew a line by saying, "Negotiating with clubs where Salah does not wish to play merely for the sake of generating buzz is not our approach," and added, "I myself do not know where Salah will play next season."

The Egyptian striker Salah has long been recognized as one of the world's top players. He has won the English Premier League (EPL) scoring title four times and led Liverpool to two EPL championships. In the 2018-2019 season, he also reached the summit of the UEFA Champions League (UCL). However, his contract expired this summer, leading him to leave Liverpool and seek a new team.

If the rumors of Salah joining Besiktas were true, it could have been welcome news for Oh Hyun-gyu as well. This was because a powerful attacking lineup could be built with Salah positioned on the wing while centering around frontman striker Oh Hyun-gyu.

Besiktas recently even signed Belgian winger Leandro Trossard, who contributed to Arsenal's EPL championship in the 2025-2026 season. Had Salah also joined, a "dream three-top" could have been completed with Oh Hyun-gyu leading the front line and Trossard and Salah covering the left and right wings.

For Oh Hyun-gyu, playing alongside world-class attackers could have been a significant asset. Not only would he receive more scoring opportunities from Salah and Trossard, but there was also the possibility of growing to the next level by closely observing and learning from Salah's movements, training methods, and institutional investor insights.

However, with both Besiktas and Salah's agent strongly denying the transfer rumors, the likelihood of Oh Hyun-gyu and Salah playing on the same team has significantly diminished.

Nevertheless, journalist Sahbuncuolu did not back down from his claims despite the refutations from Besiktas and Salah's side. He reiterated, "While I respect Besiktas, reports regarding Salah remain valid," adding, "As initially reported, Salah has agreed with Besiktas; only the official signature remains pending."

This Is Anfield stated, "Due to this controversy, Salah's future has become even more uncertain," and reported that "Salah, who left Liverpool earlier this month, is reportedly receiving love calls from Sporting Kansas City and San Diego FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, as well as clubs in Saudi Arabia that have shown long-term interest."

It further explained, "After Egypt was eliminated in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Salah is currently resting and is expected to decide his next destination after concluding the long season."

The outlet added, "The likelihood of Salah transferring to another EPL club is low," noting that "even with former Liverpool manager Arne Slot departing, a return to Liverpool is virtually ruled out."

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*This content was translated by AI.