Beşiktaş push for discount in Matias Soule deal as Roma talks intensify
Beşiktaş have stepped up their efforts to sign right winger Matias Soule and are now focusing on securing a discount from Roma on the player’s transfer fee.
The black-and-whites, who are actively working to strengthen the right flank ahead of the new season, have identified the Argentine as one of their priority targets. Negotiations with Roma are ongoing, but the Italian club’s initial demands are seen in Istanbul as excessive.
According to reports from within the club, Beşiktaş view Roma’s requested 35 million euro fee for Soule as above what they are willing to pay. The board is trying to convince the Italian side to lower their expectations, with the aim of bringing the overall cost of the deal down to below 30 million euros.
The strategy is clear: make the transfer financially realistic without stepping outside the club’s updated budget framework. Beşiktaş’s management are said to be pushing hard in talks, using both the player’s desire for a key role and the current transfer market climate as bargaining chips to reduce the fixed fee or structure payments more flexibly.
Discussions between the parties are understood to be active and ongoing. If the two clubs can find common ground on the financial package, Beşiktaş are ready to move quickly and formalize the transfer. For now, however, the move remains in the negotiation phase, with no final agreement in place.
Why Beşiktaş are so focused on Soule
Soule is seen as the type of modern winger Beşiktaş have been lacking in recent seasons: young, technically gifted, and capable of both creating and finishing chances. The club’s scouting and technical staff believe he could become a key piece in a more dynamic, high-pressing attacking structure.
Within the club, there is a strong belief that investing in a player entering his prime years will pay off both on the pitch and potentially in future resale value. That is one of the key arguments being used internally to justify pushing hard for the transfer, despite the significant fee involved.
Concerns about the price tag
Even with all the positives, there is a widespread feeling around the club that 35 million euros does not reflect a balanced risk-reward profile. Some voices in the football department argue that, given Soule’s age and current status, his market value sits closer to the 20-25 million euro range, with everything above that seen as “foam” created by a heated transfer market.
This is precisely why the Beşiktaş board are trying to drag Roma’s asking price down, or at least to bring a part of the fee into performance-based bonuses. The goal is to limit the guaranteed outlay and tie a portion of the transfer cost to what Soule actually delivers on the pitch over the next few seasons.
Alternative scenarios: loan options on the table
If Roma prove unyielding on the permanent transfer fee, Beşiktaş are considering other formulas. One option that has been discussed is a loan deal with an option or obligation to buy, spread over multiple years.
Such a structure would allow Beşiktaş to integrate Soule into the squad immediately while easing the short-term financial burden. For Roma, it could still secure a sizeable total fee, just distributed across several seasons instead of upfront.
The feasibility of a loan-plus-option formula will depend largely on Roma’s stance and whether other clubs enter the race with more attractive immediate offers.
Tactical fit: what Soule would bring to Beşiktaş
From a footballing perspective, Soule fits the profile the coaching staff have been insisting on:
– A right winger who can play wide but also drift inside and combine with the midfield.
– A player capable of repeated runs down the flank, contributing to both offensive overlaps and defensive tracking.
– A technically clean dribbler who can beat his man one-on-one and open spaces against low blocks.
– Someone willing and able to lead the press from the front, setting the tone for the team’s defensive work.
Beşiktaş’s recent transfer strategy has moved away from big-name veterans toward younger, energetic players who can maintain a high tempo over 90 minutes. Soule fits that blueprint more closely than many of the older, higher-profile options that had been linked in previous windows.
The shadow of Salah and the “new route” on the wing
Inside the club, there is a sense that the failed attempts to land a marquee name for the right flank – including profiles similar to Mohamed Salah in style and status – have forced a rethink. The focus has shifted from aging superstars chasing one last big contract to hungry, developing players capable of pressing intensely and growing with the team.
The consensus among many observers is that players “in the final chapter” of their careers often struggle to meet the physical and tactical demands of a pressing, transition-oriented game. Bringing in someone like Soule is seen as part of a broader reset: less emphasis on past reputation, more on current and future output.
What kind of winger do Beşiktaş actually need?
The internal debate around the right wing has been intense. The dominant view now is that Beşiktaş must prioritize:
– Speed over name value: A fast, direct winger who can stretch defenses and attack space regularly.
– Dribbling and 1v1 ability: Someone who can unbalance opponents rather than simply recycle possession.
– Work rate and pressing: A forward who can initiate the press and support the full-back defensively.
– Versatility: A player who can operate on both wings or in more central roles if needed.
Soule, with his ability to both run in behind and drop into half-spaces, appears to tick many of these boxes. The club’s scouting department has also been monitoring similar profiles in Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, where young wide players with these characteristics are emerging in large numbers.
Market reality and valuation debate
In the current transfer climate, wide forwards with potential are among the most expensive assets. That said, Beşiktaş’s negotiators are convinced that Roma’s initial figure reflects more of a “starting point” than a true market valuation.
Internally, the view is that any deal above 30 million euros must include protective mechanisms: resale percentages, performance bonuses instead of fixed sums, and possibly staggered payments. Without such conditions, club executives fear that the risk of overpaying would be too high, especially in a position where form can fluctuate from year to year.
What happens next in the Soule saga?
For now, all eyes are on the next rounds of talks. If Roma soften their stance and accept a reduced base fee or a more flexible structure, the transfer could quickly move from speculation to reality. Beşiktaş are ready to act decisively if the numbers fall within their planned range.
If not, the club will have to decide whether to push their financial limits for this specific player or redirect their attention to alternative targets with similar qualities but a lower price tag.
Why this transfer could be a turning point for Beşiktaş
Beyond the individual case of Soule, this negotiation is being viewed as a test of Beşiktaş’s new transfer policy. Balancing ambition with financial discipline has become non-negotiable. Landing a high-ceiling, young winger for a controlled fee would send a strong message that the club can still compete for major talents without compromising its long-term stability.
Whether or not the Soule deal is completed, the profile Beşiktaş are chasing – young, fast, technically sharp, and capable of pressing – clearly signals the direction in which the club wants its football to evolve.