Turkish club Bestiktas have re-entered the race to sign striker Mario Gomez on a permanent deal despite the German saying he won’t move back to the Super Lig due to the political situation in the country. The club’s press officer insists they still want to bring him back to Istanbul, potentially throwing a spanner in the workings of a West Ham move for the Fiorentina man.
Quoted by Turkish Football, Besiktas spokesperson Metin Albayrak said: “We have not closed the door on Mario Gomez, we have Cenk but we need another top class stiker.”
The Hammers have been chasing strikers all summer, and despite it seeming likely that they’re closing in on moves for Andre Ayew and Jonathan Calleri, Gomez could still move to the Premier League in a £7 million deal. However, Slaven Bilic will face competition for the forward, with both Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona after his exploits in Turkey last season.
On loan at Besiktas from Fiorentina, Gomez scored 26 league goals in 33 games, earning him a lot of links with Europe’s top clubs. The Turkish club have been working hard to bring him back to Istanbul for the coming year, but he himself has said he doesn’t want to return, as a result of July’s failed military coup in the country.
This opens the door for a move to West Ham, but also any of the other clubs who have shown an interest in the 31-year-old this summer.
