Fenerbahce Presidential Candidate Aziz Yildirim Promises Mohamed Salah Signing to Rival Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen

Aziz Yildirim, a candidate in next month’s Fenerbahce presidential election, has publicly committed to pursuing Mohamed Salah should he win the club’s leadership vote, framing the potential signing as a direct response to city rivals Galatasaray’s marquee deal for Nigeria international Victor Osimhen.

The 73-year-old made the announcement during an appearance on Turkish state broadcaster TRT Spor, where he broke down the projected cost of landing the outgoing Liverpool forward. “Salah reportedly wants a salary of €20 million. With taxes, that rises to €30 million. He would want a three-year contract, which means a total cost of €90 million,” Yildirim calculated during the live interview. “If that is our urgent need, we will sign him.”

Salah, 33, is departing Anfield as a free agent following a nine-year spell that produced more than 250 goals for the club. His final season saw him contribute 12 goals and 10 assists across 41 appearances in the 2025/26 campaign. The Egyptian international has attracted interest from clubs across Europe and Saudi Arabia since confirming his exit from Liverpool.

Yildirim also disclosed that Fenerbahce had already held talks with Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth as part of broader plans to strengthen the club’s attacking options. “We had a meeting with Sorloth, but there is no clear outcome yet. It may happen, or it may not,” the presidential candidate remarked. The Norwegian forward carries significant goodwill in Turkey, having topped the Super Lig scoring charts with 24 goals during a loan spell at Trabzonspor in the 2019/20 season.

Yildirim previously served as Fenerbahce chairman between 1998 and 2018 — a two-decade tenure during which the club won multiple domestic titles — and is now running against businessman Hakan Safi to reclaim control of the Istanbul outfit ahead of the elections scheduled for next month.

The rivalry between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, two of Turkey’s most decorated clubs and historically fierce Istanbul derby opponents, adds a notable dimension to Yildirim’s transfer promises. Galatasaray’s signing of Osimhen, a central figure in Nigeria’s Super Eagles setup, has raised the competitive stakes heading into the 2026/27 season, and Yildirim appears to be using the prospect of Salah’s arrival as a rallying point in his election campaign.

It should be noted that Yildirim’s statements were made in the context of a presidential campaign rather than as official club policy. Any move for Salah would be contingent on Yildirim winning the upcoming election and subsequently securing the player’s agreement, with no formal offer or club-level negotiations confirmed at this stage.