Besiktas leadership publicly confronted star midfielder Rafa Silva, asserting the club’s authority after he reportedly refused to train and attempted to force an early departure.
Coach Sergen Yalçin stated that Silva explicitly told him he “would neither train nor play.”
Yalçin expressed frustration that Silva had “cut all communication” with the club and was relaying messages solely through his agent. “This is beyond my comprehension,” Yalçin said.
Besiktas President Serdal Adali revealed a conversation with Silva’s agent, who offered 3 million USD for the player’s release.
Adali firmly rejected this proposal, asserting the club’s control over player transfers. “This is Besiktas. Players cannot dictate their own rules here,” Adali stated.
He added, “If a player wants to leave, Besiktas sets the conditions and the final decision is Besiktas.” Adali also indicated the club might refer the matter to FIFA.
Silva, 32, joined Besiktas from Benfica at the end of the last season after his contract expired.
Benfica is reportedly monitoring Silva’s situation, though Adali emphasized the good relations between the two clubs. He expressed confidence that Benfica would not act “behind their back” if they were interested in the player.
Adali noted that Benfica had made no direct request for Silva.
The Besiktas president and coach held a press conference to address what they termed a “delicate issue” surrounding Silva’s future with the club.