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Besiktas transfer storm: radical summer wing rebuild and davitashvili pursuit

A transfer storm is forming over Beşiktaş as the club prepares for a radical rebuild of its wings this summer. The Black-and-Whites are expected to have one of their most active windows in recent years, with almost the entire wide-attacking unit set for an overhaul.

Jota Silva: Departure Seen as Inevitable

At the heart of the shake-up is Jota Silva. The Portuguese winger has a 17 million euro purchase clause, a figure Beşiktaş has no intention of meeting. Within the club corridors, his exit is now treated as a certainty rather than a possibility. Given the financial realities of Turkish football and UEFA’s financial control, tying such a large sum to a single wide player is seen as too big a risk, especially when the squad needs reinforcement in multiple areas.

Beşiktaş is therefore preparing for life without Jota and is already exploring potential replacements who can offer similar dynamism on the flanks, but at a more sustainable cost.

Cengiz Ünder: Sergen Yalçın Not Fully Convinced

Cengiz Ünder’s situation is more complex. On his best days, he has delivered flashes of quality and reminded everyone why he was once regarded as one of Turkey’s brightest attacking prospects. However, those moments have been sporadic. His inconsistency has frustrated both the technical staff and the board.

The 5 million euro buyout option in his deal is currently viewed as too high for a player who hasn’t shown stable form over the full season. While coach Sergen Yalçın appreciates Cengiz’s technical ability and sees him as a potentially decisive figure in big games, the board is reluctant to commit that fee given his uneven output. Unless the conditions around the deal change significantly, Beşiktaş is not expected to trigger the clause.

Rashica: Not in the Plans for Next Season

Another name likely heading for the exit door is Milot Rashica. Once regarded as a player who could bring pace, pressing and vertical threat, Rashica has had a season to forget. He has effectively disappeared from the score sheet, with his only goal coming 13 weeks ago against Rizespor.

The technical staff no longer see him as a key part of next season’s project. If a reasonable offer arrives, Beşiktaş will listen and is ready to part ways. The club wants its wide players to be more decisive, not just in build-up or pressing, but in raw numbers: goals and assists. Rashica has fallen short of those expectations.

El Bilal Touré: Talent Appreciated, Price Impossible

El Bilal Touré is one of the more delicate cases. Whenever he has been fit, he has shown glimpses of the powerful, direct attacker that first caught the eye in Europe. Sergen Yalçın values his versatility, using him both on the left flank and in the centre-forward role, and does not want to let go of that profile easily.

However, the reality is harsh: the 15 million euro purchase option in his contract is deemed unworkable under current conditions. Touré’s season has been undermined by recurring injuries, leaving question marks over his physical reliability. Committing that level of investment to a player who has spent long stretches on the sidelines is something the board considers too risky.

If Atalanta agrees to a significant discount, the scenario could change. A serious reduction in the fee might bring Touré back into the conversation as a long-term piece of the puzzle. Otherwise, Beşiktaş will have no choice but to move on and look for alternative forwards and wide players who fit both the tactical and financial criteria.

Cerny: Staying Despite Form Dip

Amid all the exits, one winger appears safe: Vaclav Cerny. The Czech player has experienced a marked drop in form in recent weeks, which has raised concerns among supporters. Nonetheless, he still has two years left on his contract, and the club is approaching his situation in a more protective way.

It is known inside the club that Cerny has been going through a difficult period off the pitch due to family issues. This context plays a key role in the decision not to consider an immediate sale. The expectation is that, with stability and proper support, Cerny can recover his level and become a reliable part of the rotation again. For now, he is projected to stay and be part of next season’s squad.

Near-Total Rebuild on the Wings

When all scenarios are laid out, the picture is stark: apart from Cerny, practically every winger in the squad is either on the way out or under serious discussion. This means Beşiktaş is preparing to reconstruct its entire wing department.

The current plan is to bring in two foreign wingers and at least one domestic player to ensure compliance with local player rules and maintain squad balance. The club is targeting profiles that are:

– Fast and direct in one-on-one situations
– Capable of contributing double figures in combined goals and assists over a season
– Tactically disciplined to help the full-backs and press high
– At an age where they can either be developed and sold for profit, or anchor the team for several years

This rebuild is not just about replacing names; it is about altering the identity of the flanks, making them more unpredictable and more productive in the final third.

Davitashvili: The Main Foreign Target

At the top of the shortlist stands Zuriko Davitashvili. The 25-year-old Georgian has been on Beşiktaş’s radar for two consecutive transfer windows, and the club is now ready to push harder than ever.

Wearing the Saint-Étienne shirt in Ligue 2 this season, Davitashvili has delivered impressive numbers: 13 goals and 4 assists in 26 matches, while his team fights for the title. These stats underline his ability not only to create but also to finish chances, exactly the kind of profile Beşiktaş needs on the wings.

The board is preparing to stretch its budget for him. A transfer fee in the region of 15 million euros is being seriously considered. For Beşiktaş, that is a statement-level investment, and it shows how highly they rate Davitashvili’s potential impact. Negotiations will not be easy, as his performances naturally attract attention from other European clubs, but the Black-and-Whites are ready to push the limits to secure him.

Other Names on the List

Davitashvili is not the only target. The scouting department has identified several other high-level players who could fit Sergen Yalçın’s game model. These options include both established names and emerging talents from secondary European leagues, where quality can be found at relatively more accessible prices.

Beşiktaş is also tracking versatile attackers who can play in multiple positions across the front line, giving the coach more tactical flexibility. This multifunctional profile is increasingly valued, especially for a team that aims to compete on multiple fronts and needs to rotate without losing quality.

Domestic Options and Squad Balance

Alongside foreign signings, Beşiktaş is actively exploring the domestic market. With limitations and quotas on foreign players, having at least one reliable Turkish winger is essential. The club is evaluating players who can immediately contribute while also meeting the federation’s homegrown requirements.

The priority is to avoid short-term, stop-gap solutions. Instead, Beşiktaş wants to bring in a local player who can grow with the project and remain a core squad member over the next several seasons. Given past experiences with inconsistent local transfers, this time the selection process is being handled with extra caution.

Tactical Vision: How the New Wings Will Be Used

Sergen Yalçın’s vision for the attacking setup plays a crucial role in these transfer decisions. He wants wide players who are not just touchline wingers but can move inside, combine between the lines, and create overloads in central areas. The plan is to have one winger who can stretch the play and another who can drift into half-spaces, acting almost like an additional playmaker or second forward.

This approach demands a high technical ceiling, good football intelligence, and strong off-the-ball movement. Wingers will be expected to press aggressively when possession is lost, assist the full-backs defensively, and still arrive in the box to finish attacking moves. The current crop, apart from rare individual moments, has not consistently delivered on these demands, which underlines the need for a comprehensive rebuild.

Financial Strategy Behind the Overhaul

Such a sweeping transformation of one position group is also tied to the club’s broader financial planning. Letting expensive clauses like those of Jota Silva and El Bilal Touré expire, while offloading underperforming contracts such as Rashica’s, frees up significant space in the wage bill and transfer budget.

Instead of sinking large sums into uncertain profiles, Beşiktaş aims to distribute its investment more strategically: one marquee signing like Davitashvili complemented by two or three more cost-effective additions who still offer upside. The idea is to assemble a wing unit that is both competitive in the short term and sustainable in the long term.

Pressure of the Title Race and Cup Ambitions

All these moves are being planned under the pressure of a club that defines itself by trophies. Beşiktaş sees the upcoming season as a pivotal step in returning to the top of Turkish football and making a stronger mark in Europe. There is a clear belief that the pathway to the title runs through better attacking production from the flanks.

The cup competitions are also seen as central to this strategy. A deep run or a trophy there can shape the narrative of the season, raise the club’s profile for potential signings, and bring in bonus revenue. In that sense, the success or failure of this transfer storm on the wings will directly influence how Beşiktaş writes its story in both league and cup.

Timing and Market Dynamics

The club is aware that the timing of transfers will be influenced by international tournaments and the broader European market. Many clubs will wait until after summer competitions, giving players rest periods and assessing their squads before finalizing big deals. Beşiktaş wants to be as proactive as possible, but also realistic about the fact that some key moves might only be completed later in the window.

This is why the scouting work has started early and why multiple alternatives are being evaluated for each position. The goal is to avoid being left with last-minute panic signings and instead execute a coherent, pre-planned strategy.

In summary, Beşiktaş is heading into a summer in which the wings will be almost completely rewritten. Jota’s departure is taken for granted, Cengiz’s future is hanging by a financial thread, Rashica is on the market, and El Bilal Touré’s price makes a permanent stay unlikely. Cerny remains the exception, shielded by his contract and personal circumstances.

Into this vacuum, the club aims to bring in at least two foreign wingers and one domestic option, with Zuriko Davitashvili as the crown jewel of the project. How decisively Beşiktaş acts in this transfer storm will go a long way toward determining whether the club can turn its ambitions of a title-chasing, high-scoring team into reality next season.