Fans chant Salah As Besiktas welcomes Trossard in Istanbul

Today in Istanbul, Leandro Trossard was presented by Besiktas Trossard as the club’s new Belgian striker, but the ceremony quickly turned into a chorus of “Salah, Salah” as thousands of fans shouted the name of Mohamed Salah over the roar of the Besiktas‑stadium, highlighting a clash between the club’s recruitment plan and supporter wishes.

While Trossard walked onto the pitch, thousands of fans began chanting “Salah, Salah”, creating a loud backdrop that drowned out the club’s planned presentation.

Club president Serdal Adali appeared visibly uncomfortable as the chant continued, and his attempts to refocus attention on the new signing were largely over‑shadowed by the vocal crowd.

Trossard arrives from Arsenal, where he was part of the squad that secured the Premier League title last season, and he also featured for Belgium when they reached the World Cup quarter‑finals.

A segment of the Besiktas supporters expressed disappointment, saying the Belgian forward does not fulfil their broader ambitions and voiced a desire for Mohamed Salah, who is currently a free agent after his Liverpool contract expired.

Besiktas is listed among clubs interested in signing Salah, alongside interest from parties in Saudi Arabia and the United States, underscoring the club’s aim to add a globally recognised name to the roster.

The contrast between the formal introduction of Trossard and the spontaneous Salah chant reveals a gap between the club’s official recruitment strategy and the fans’ dream of a marquee star, adding extra pressure on the Turkish side to balance on‑field results with off‑field expectations.