"Isn't Oh Hyun-kyu leaving?" The anxiety among Besiktas fans, which began with transfer rumors about Blahović, has finally become reality.

*This content was translated by AI.

"What if Oh Hyun-kyu leaves because of this?"

The situation Turkish Besiktas fans had feared has come to pass. A world-class competitor has emerged for South Korean national team striker Oh Hyun-kyu.

On the 13th (Korean time), Besiktas announced via its official website that Doosan Blahović arrived in Istanbul to complete medical tests and transfer procedures. The club is now only awaiting a formal announcement.

This sudden issue was not unexpected. Rumors of Blahović joining Besiktas had been consistently raised locally for the past two months.

Turkish media Yeni Şafak reported last June that Besiktas was pursuing the acquisition of Serbian star striker Blahović, whose contract with Juventus was set to expire soon.

What drew particular attention at the time was the reaction from Besiktas fans. Coincidentally, around the same period, Oh Hyun-kyu temporarily made all his social media posts private except for one related to scoring in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. His original photos have since been restored to public view.

At that time, many Besiktas fans linked Oh Hyun-kyu's social media changes with the Blahović transfer rumors, expressing concern that the South Korean striker might be leaving the team.

Yeni Şafak explained, "Oh Hyun-kyu, the South Korean striker for Besiktas, attracted attention due to his actions on social media. His behavior caused great surprise among fans in a short time and led to speculation that he might leave the team."

It further reported, "Besiktas fans were shocked by Oh Hyun-kyu's sudden social media changes."

It remains unclear whether Oh Hyun-kyu will leave the team immediately. However, there is a high likelihood of significant changes in the forward competition structure.

Blahović is an elite striker who has already proven himself on the European stage. He played as a starting forward for Italian Serie A powerhouse Juventus, appearing in 168 official matches over four seasons and scoring 68 goals.

Particularly concerning for Oh Hyun-kyu is the special connection between Blahović and Besiktas manager Vincenzo Italiano.

The two previously worked together at Fiorentina as coach and player. During the 2021–2022 season when Manager Italiano led Fiorentina, Blahović scored an impressive 29 goals in 45 official matches, establishing himself as a key attacking force for the team. He later transferred to Juventus for a record fee of €85 million (approximately ₩140 billion).

Turkish media SporX recently reported that "Manager Italiano strongly desired to reunite with his former protégé at Besiktas."

If Blahović officially joins Besiktas, it is highly likely he will be preferred as the starting forward by Manager Italiano.

This is an unwelcome situation for Oh Hyun-kyu. After leaving Belgian club KRC Genk in February and joining Besiktas, he quickly established himself as a key striker for the team. He recorded six goals and one assist in 13 league matches, and eight goals with two assists across 16 official matches overall, proving his scoring ability.

He also made his mark on the South Korean national team. At the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, he scored a dramatic late equalizer against Czech Republic in the group stage opener, leading South Korea to a 2–1 victory.

Oh Hyun-kyu enjoyed a successful first half-year at Besiktas. However, for the new season, he will now face competition from Blahović, a world-class striker personally desired by Manager Italiano.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.