Besiktas president Serdar Adali has reiterated his desire to sign Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock, following the collapse of a £17m summer move. The Turkish Super Lig club had looked certain to land the Magpies player during the transfer window, but the deal fell through.
Contract situation and January plans
Willock is in the final year of his contract at St. James' Park, meaning he can negotiate a pre-contract agreement with Besiktas in January and leave Newcastle on a free transfer in the summer. Newcastle must decide on his future after his bright start to the season under head coach Matthias Jaissle.
Adali, speaking to TRT Spor, said he would go back for talks during the mid-season break. He claimed Besiktas stuck to their programme and executed 90% of their transfer list, without matching Newcastle's £20m asking price.
Adali's fresh comments
"Opportunities to sign star players came our way, but we didn’t even consider them. We stuck to our program," Adali said. "We executed 90% of the transfer list we had drawn up. We didn’t receive any response from the clubs we were in talks with until the World Cup ended."
"He is a player the coach really wants. I am persistent regarding Willock. The coach hasn’t complained that we failed to sign him. I will go and hold talks again during the mid-season break. If it happens, it happens. If not, the coach hasn’t made a specific demand to sign anyone else right now."
Previous pursuit and Willock's form
Last week, Adali said: "Joe Willock was the player the coach wanted but whom we missed out on. His contract expires at the end of the season. He can sign during the mid-season break. They had asked for £20m. We can sign him in January—and I will sign him."
He added that he brought Willock's extended family to Istanbul, that they picked out a house, and that video calls were held with coach Italiano and coach Önder at least ten times, alongside two in-person visits to the player.
Willock's future remains uncertain as Newcastle weigh up offering him a new contract. The 27-year-old has scored two goals in five Premier League matches this season, emerging as a key player under Jaissle after appearing set to leave Tyneside in the summer.
