Vlahovic to Besiktas: A setback for a "money-chaser"

At last, after several months of uncertainty about his future, Dusan Vlahovic has secured a new destination. The forward penned a three-year deal with Besiktas in the Turkish top flight, earning a salary that could amount to 10 million euros annually depending on his performance.

Vlahovic's future has been a hot topic in Italy over the past year, after he decided to reject Juventus's contract extension offer. Notably, the reason for his refusal was the requirement to take a pay cut to half of his current 12 million euros per year, the highest salary in Serie A. Juventus tried multiple times to sell the striker, but he refused to leave when pursuing clubs could not meet his wage demands.

Vlahovic declared that he would rather sit on the bench for the whole season waiting for his contract to expire, and even sacrifice his chance to play in the 2026 World Cup with Serbia, than give up his "easy money" compensation. Juventus made multiple attempts to retain him with offers of a 6 million euro salary plus suitable bonuses, but Vlahovic firmly refused. The attitude of the 26-year-old turned him into a money-grubber in the public eye, causing big clubs that once wanted him—such as Arsenal, Milan, Manchester United, and Barcelona—to lose interest. Perhaps no one wants to be in a situation dominated by a player who always puts financial interests above everything else, even if he is talented and available on a free transfer.

Then Besiktas came along with a salary proposal that satisfied Vlahovic's financial ambitions, and he nodded in agreement, despite this being a career setback—a step down from Juventus. Since their last Turkish league title in 2021, Besiktas has declined significantly. They have had two seasons finishing sixth, two seasons fourth, and one third, no longer a genuine contender for the top spot against the bigger powers like Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. At Besiktas, he will have to compete for a starting spot with Tammy Abraham, another striker who couldn't survive in Italian football after failing at Roma and AC Milan.

For a striker who is only 26 years old and just four years ago forced Juventus to spend over 80 million euros to sign him from Fiorentina, who scored 117 goals in 278 matches in Italy, and who was once a target for top European clubs, this backward step is truly regrettable. But there is hope that by starting over in a football environment considered lower level, the Serbian striker can regain his confidence and form to find his way back to the most glamorous football stages, rather than fading away like Victor Osimhen or Jhon Duran, other "money-chasers" of European football.