"Oh Hyun-gyu alone is not enough," Besiktas manager strongly requests new striker... eventually brings in Blahovitch

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korean national team forward Oh Hyun-gyu (Besiktas) now faces a fierce competition. He is likely to compete for the starting spot with world-class striker Doosan Blahovitch.

On the 13th (Korean time), Besiktas announced via its official website that "Doosan Blahovitch, who was in transfer negotiations, has arrived in Istanbul to complete medical tests and transfer procedures."

This marks the final stage of the acquisition. Besiktas Chairman Serdar Adalar personally accompanied him to the airport and expressed his hopes, saying, "I hope this will be a good thing for our club and fans," and added, "I expect Blahovitch to contribute to the team."

Blahovitch, who received a warm welcome from Besiktas fans, also shared his thoughts: "I am happy and proud to be here. I know what I need to do."

European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano also reported that "Blahovitch has agreed to a three-year contract with Besiktas until 2029."

Blahovitch's arrival is expected to have a significant impact on Oh Hyun-gyu's position within the team.

Most notably, this acquisition was strongly desired by Besiktas manager Vincenzo Italiano. Manager Italiano took charge of Besiktas this summer after leaving Bologna (Italy).

Turkish media SporX previously reported that "Besiktas plans to mobilize all possible conditions to acquire Blahovitch, whom manager Italiano strongly wants."

According to reports, after analyzing the squad upon joining Besiktas, Manager Italiano requested the club to reinforce the goalkeeper, left center-back, midfielder, two wingers, and a central striker.

In particular, his determination to strengthen the forward line was strong. SporX explained that "Manager Italiano did not consider the current attacking lineup consisting of Oh Hyun-gyu, Semih Kılıçsoy, and Mustafa Pektemek sufficient," and added, "He definitely wanted an experienced target-type central striker."

The striker he most desired was Blahovitch. The two already share a special connection. When Manager Italiano led Fiorentina in Italy's Serie A, Blahovitch was the team's key forward.

In the 2021-2022 season, Blahovitch scored an impressive 29 goals in 45 official matches. He later transferred to "Serie A powerhouse" Juventus for a massive fee of €85 million (approximately 140 billion won).

SporX reported that "Manager Italiano very strongly wanted to reunite with his former student at Besiktas."

Blahovitch also recorded 68 goals in 168 official matches over four seasons at Juventus. After his contract with Juventus ended this summer, he began looking for a new destination. SporX reported that "Besiktas rival Galatasaray also made an offer to Blahovitch."

However, Blahovitch's choice was Besiktas, where his former coach is.

This is not a welcome situation for Oh Hyun-gyu. After leaving Belgian KRC Genk in February and joining Besiktas, Oh quickly established himself as a key forward for the team. He recorded 6 goals and 1 assist in 13 league matches, and 8 goals and 2 assists in 16 official matches overall, proving his scoring ability.

He also made his mark with the South Korean national team. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, he scored a dramatic winning goal against Czech Republic in the first group stage match, leading Korea to a 2-1 victory. Although Oh had a successful first half of the season at Besiktas, the situation for the new season may change.

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*This content was translated by AI.