Beşiktaş facing number 9 crisis: Vlahovic and Nunez talks at a standstill
Beşiktaş are entering a critical phase of their transfer planning as the search for a new centre forward remains unresolved. Despite completing the high-profile signing of Mohamed Salah, the club still has no clear solution for the number 9 position, and uncertainty around primary targets Dušan Vlahović and Darwin Núñez is deepening the crisis.
Vlahović waiting for top-5 league offers
The Beşiktaş board identified Dušan Vlahović as the priority to lead the attacking line following his departure from Juventus. The Serbian striker was placed at the top of the club’s shortlist, and initial contacts were made to explore the feasibility of a deal.
However, negotiations have stalled. Vlahović is understood to prefer staying in one of Europe’s top five leagues and is reportedly willing to wait until mid-August to see what offers arrive from clubs in England, Spain, Italy, Germany or France. This stance has made it difficult for Beşiktaş to advance the transfer, as the player is in no rush to commit and wants to keep his options open.
From Beşiktaş’s perspective, this waiting game risks pushing the club into a dangerous time frame. The longer Vlahović delays his decision, the fewer alternative options will remain on the market, leaving the Istanbul side exposed just weeks before the new season.
Napoli enter the race for Vlahović
Complicating matters further, reports in Italy state that Napoli have stepped up their pursuit of the 26-year-old striker. The Serie A club are looking to reinforce their attack and see Vlahović as a key piece in their rebuild.
Napoli’s interest changes the dynamics of the transfer. They can offer the forward what he reportedly wants most: the chance to remain in a top European league, with the potential of European competition. This naturally weakens Beşiktaş’s hand in negotiations, both financially and sporting-wise.
For Beşiktaş, this means that even if they are ready to meet Vlahović’s personal demands, they are up against a club offering a sporting project that might align more closely with the player’s priorities. The risk is clear: by mid-August, Vlahović could have signed elsewhere, leaving Beşiktaş empty-handed.
Darwin Núñez: another complicated target
While Vlahović is the primary choice, Darwin Núñez has emerged as the other major candidate for the number 9 role. The Uruguayan forward, currently playing for Al Hilal, is seen as a powerful, mobile striker capable of leading the line and complementing Salah in the final third.
Beşiktaş’s management has already tested the waters for Núñez, making initial inquiries to understand both the financial conditions and the player’s willingness to move. However, the situation here is also far from straightforward.
Núñez is said to be in no hurry to decide his future and is waiting to review all potential offers before making a choice. This suggests that, much like Vlahović, he is carefully weighing his options rather than committing quickly to any one club. For Beşiktaş, this again means uncertainty and the real possibility of being left without either of their top targets.
Timing problem: Salah signed, striker missing
The arrival of Mohamed Salah was meant to signal a new era in Beşiktaş’s attacking setup. A world-class winger who guarantees goals and assists, Salah gives the team a huge boost in quality and global visibility. However, his signing has also sharpened the spotlight on the glaring absence of a true centre forward.
A player of Salah’s calibre needs a reliable partner in the penalty area – someone who can occupy defenders, finish crosses, and convert the chances created from the flanks and midfield. Without an established number 9, there is a real risk that Salah’s contribution will not be maximised and that the team’s attacking structure will remain unbalanced.
The board is fully aware of this. Internally, the priority after securing Salah has always been to quickly finalise a top-level striker. Yet the combination of player indecision and competition from other clubs has dragged the process out and turned it into a full-blown number 9 crisis.
Tactical implications for Beşiktaş
The lack of a clear first-choice striker does not only affect transfer plans; it directly impacts the work of the technical staff. Without knowing who will lead the line, the coach faces difficulties in designing a definitive tactical system for the new season.
If a classic penalty-box striker like Vlahović arrives, Beşiktaş may build around a more traditional 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, focusing on crosses, set-pieces, and structured attacking moves. With Núñez, on the other hand, the team could lean towards a more dynamic, transition-based style, using his speed and physicality to attack open spaces behind the defence.
As long as neither deal is completed, training sessions, pre-season friendlies and tactical planning are, to a degree, hypothetical. The team can test various setups, but without the certainty of who will finish the attacks, it is difficult to finalise roles, automatisms and partnerships in the final third.
Financial and strategic pressure on the board
The pursuit of a top-tier striker also has a strong financial dimension. Following the significant outlay for Salah, the board must balance ambition with budgetary reality. Elite forwards come with high transfer fees, substantial wages and often complex bonus structures.
Waiting for Vlahović or Núñez could mean eventually paying a premium late in the window, both in terms of fee and salary. At the same time, moving too quickly to a less proven option could be seen as a step down in quality and fail to satisfy supporters already dreaming of a world-class spine built around Salah.
This delicate balance increases the pressure on the club’s decision-makers. They must judge not only the sporting fit of each target but also the long-term sustainability of the investment, especially with financial regulations tightening across football.
Risks of leaving the decision too late
One of the main dangers of the current situation is timing. The closer the window comes to closing, the fewer quality alternatives will be available. Clubs will have less incentive to sell, and players will have settled into pre-season plans elsewhere.
For Beşiktaş, failing to secure a striker in time could force a panic move in the final days of the window – often the most expensive and least strategic type of transfer. Such decisions can burden the squad with a misfit player on high wages, making future planning even more complicated.
Another risk is sporting: starting the season without a clear number 9 could lead to dropped points early in the campaign. In leagues where the title race is tight, those lost points in August or September are often decisive by May.
Possible alternatives and plan B scenarios
Although Vlahović and Núñez remain the headline names, the club cannot afford to rely solely on them. Behind the scenes, scouting departments typically maintain extended lists of forwards with different profiles, age ranges and price levels.
If it becomes clear that neither Vlahović nor Núñez will join, Beşiktaş may pivot towards a more realistic target – perhaps a slightly less glamorous name but one who is eager to play a central role and commit immediately. Such a player might come from a mid-table European club, a rising talent from a smaller league, or even from within the domestic competition.
In some cases, clubs also explore short-term solutions such as loan deals with options to buy. This can reduce immediate financial risk while still providing the team with a capable striker for the upcoming season.
Impact on team morale and supporters
The drawn-out striker search also has psychological consequences. Inside the dressing room, players naturally want clarity about who will lead the attack. A prominent number 9 can become a focal point for the squad, both on and off the pitch. The longer this role remains vacant, the harder it is to build a cohesive attacking identity.
Among supporters, expectations soared with the signing of Salah. Fans now want to see an equally convincing move through the middle, and every rumour about Vlahović or Núñez intensifies the debate around the club’s transfer policy. Frustration grows when high-profile targets hesitate or appear to prefer other leagues.
This emotional environment increases pressure on the board but also reflects the ambition of the club’s fanbase. Beşiktaş are expected to compete for titles, not just participate – and for that, a reliable number 9 is seen as non-negotiable.
A decisive few weeks ahead
All signs point to the next few weeks being decisive for Beşiktaş’s season. The club must resolve the number 9 issue one way or another: either by convincing one of its main targets to sign, or by quickly and decisively turning to well-scouted alternatives.
The Salah transfer has already raised the bar. To match that statement of intent, Beşiktaş now need a centre forward who can deliver 20+ goals a season and form a lethal partnership with the Egyptian star. Whether that player turns out to be Vlahović, Núñez or another name entirely will shape not just the upcoming campaign, but the club’s sporting project for years to come.
Until then, the number 9 shirt at Beşiktaş remains at the heart of a growing crisis – one that the board must solve before it starts to define their season for all the wrong reasons.