Besiktas President Discusses Rafa Silva’s Future Amidst Contract Dispute

Besiktas President Serdal Adali recently spoke about the turmoil following the club’s match against Basaksehir last weekend, detailing a series of tense meetings. Silva was substituted in the 83rd minute, leading to an urgent request for discussion from his agent soon after.

Adali informed reporters, “Rafa left the field in the 73rd minute of the match against Basaksehir. His agent requested a meeting, which we conducted. Subsequently, we dined together. I initially believed the substitution was the issue, and we aimed to address it. However, when I spoke with Rafa, he stated he had no problems and expressed a desire to leave football altogether.”

The situation took a turn hours later when Silva changed his stance, indicating a desire to transfer to another club.

“After some time, he altered his position, expressing a wish to go elsewhere and presenting varying arguments. There is no need to assign blame here. From the beginning, we wanted Rafa. Financially, we have no debts to him. Our expectations of him remain unchanged. We have always treated him with great care, ensuring all his needs were met. As a Besiktas supporter, would I wish for one of my best players to leave?” Adali stated.

The President asserted that the club would not hesitate to escalate the matter to FIFA if necessary.

“No player can leave simply because they want to. No one can show disrespect towards Besiktas. If needed, we will approach FIFA,” he added.

Adali emphasized that the core issue resides with the player. “If he wishes to leave, he was informed about the clause. Rafa’s agent suggested bringing three million euros to facilitate his exit. This is Besiktas; players cannot create their own rules here. If a player wishes to depart, the conditions are set by Besiktas, and the final decision rests with us. Rafa remains under contract. He must either reciprocate the support shown to him and fulfill his obligations until the contract’s end or formally terminate the contract to leave. If he does not accept these terms, he will remain until the contract expires. If necessary, we will compensate him, and he will stay.”

“No one can disrespect Besiktas. If necessary, we will escalate the matter to FIFA. Besiktas will not compromise its objectives. The heart of the problem lies with Rafa. I have brought a significant number of Portuguese players to Turkey and meet with them regularly. Rafa is a unique individual. If we cannot resolve this situation, one can imagine the implications. There is no need to seek out culprits.”

Head Coach Sergen Yalcin echoed Adali’s concerns during a separate press conference, revealing that Silva had expressed doubts about his future long before the situation became public. “Silva informed me on the first day that he did not wish to stay and was contemplating leaving football,” he mentioned.

In recent days, Silva’s position hardened to the extent that he refused to train or participate in matches, prompting Yalcin to escalate the issue to the club’s board.

“Given Rafa’s value, I believed we could manage the situation smoothly. Initially, I resolved the issue, but it resurfaced. I conveyed to Rafa his importance to the team. Despite our efforts to resolve the matter, it reached an impasse as he stated he would no longer train or play in matches.

“My hands are tied. Our door remains open for Rafa Silva to participate. I don’t believe he has an issue with us, yet he has ceased communication, only conveying messages through his manager. I have done all I can. If you wonder about his substitution during the game, even Messi and Ronaldo are substituted; no one is above Besiktas. Each week, we face questions regarding Rafa’s training and participation. His manager has threatened that if we terminate his contract, he will play elsewhere. This is Besiktas; both Rafa Silva and Sergen Yalcin will be replaced if necessary.”

Yalcin affirmed he has no issues with Silva and is prepared to reintegrate him into training, emphasizing that the squad has been structured around the Portuguese player.

“I have never encountered any problems with Rafa. He has never disrespected me or behaved inappropriately; he simply fulfilled his role. If there were any issues between us, I would have resolved them directly. I encourage dialogue with Rafa to understand the reasons behind his current stance.”

President Adali confirmed that Silva requested additional time to contemplate his options.

“He has sought permission until tonight to make a final decision,” Adali stated. “I refuse to allow Rafa to leave merely to save three or six million. I hope he returns with renewed focus. He has a contract for another year and a half, and I trust he will choose the right path.”

Premier League club Wolves have shown interest in signing Silva during the January transfer window. Silva has had an outstanding performance in the 2023/24 season, even surpassing Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham in goal contributions. While Bellingham recorded 25 in La Liga, Silva achieved 26 in just 30 league matches for Benfica, establishing himself among Europe’s elite attacking talents.