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Besiktas have taken a major step forward in their January transfer plans after reaching personal agreements with Borussia Dortmund midfielders Salih Ozcan and Emre Can, while talks with the German club over transfer fees are still ongoing.
The Istanbul-based club, one of the most historic football teams in Türkiye, has struggled to strike a balance between attack and defense in the first half of the season. While the team managed to score 30 goals in 17 league matches, they also conceded 22, often dropping points due to basic defensive mistakes despite being close to positive results.
This pattern led the club management and head coach Sergen Yalcin to focus their mid-season recruitment on strengthening the defense and central midfield.
As part of this strategy, Besiktas has been holding talks with Wolverhampton defender Emmanuel Agbadou for the center-back role while also opening discussions with Emre Can as an alternative. The 31-year-old, whose contract with Borussia Dortmund expires at the end of the season, is understood to have responded positively to Besiktas' offer.
Emre Can is valued for his versatility, as he can line up both in central defense and as a defensive midfielder, a role often referred to internationally as a holding midfielder who protects the back line.
Over a 12-year professional career, Emre Can has played for Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool and Juventus, gaining experience at the highest level of European football.
This background is viewed as a potential stabilizing factor for Besiktas' back line, which has been under pressure throughout the season.
Before approaching Emre Can, Besiktas had already reached an agreement with Salih Ozcan, another Borussia Dortmund player whose contract also has six months remaining.
The club has reportedly offered a combined transfer fee of €2 million (over $2.3 million) for both players, with negotiations with Dortmund continuing.
Club officials involved in the talks are said to be confident, having already secured positive feedback from the players themselves.
Members of the Besiktas Football Committee remain in discussions with Borussia Dortmund, believing that the transfers could be finalized if an agreement on fees is reached.
Should the negotiations conclude successfully, Besiktas would complete two key signings aimed at addressing their most pressing weaknesses in the second half of the season.
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