During his barely two weeks as Besiktas coach, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has managed to create great enthusiasm, beating Spain’s 4th best club, sharing points in the first Süper Lig game, being knocked out of the Europa League with a loss to FC Twente – and criticizing the conditions at his new club. Talk about the entrance of the former Manchester United coach!
This does not mean that Solskjaer has low expectations for what Besiktas will achieve in the coming seasons. Still, when we see Galatasaray booming in the transfer market, it will be challenging to get the plan right.
Roberto Mancini, Slaven Bilic, Frank Rijkard and Roberto Carlos. These are high-profile foreign coaches who have led a Süper Lig club without succeeding in winning league gold. Besiktas supporters celebrated the previous Süper Lig title in the 2020/21 season, Solskjaer is looking to be the first foreign coach in the league in 18 years to take the league title.
“My goal is to be the next (foreign coach to win the league title),” Solskjaer said earlier in the week.
Besiktas are in 6th place this season, so even with Solskjaer at the helm, the title is well out of reach. The goal is nevertheless ambitious.
“We have a goal to stay, not the top two, because it’s too far, but in the league we should without a doubt make the top three,” Solskjaer said offensively.
Galatasaray shock-signed super striker Victor Osimhen this summer on loan, a feat of the greats. One of the very best strikers in European football has not disappointed either, 12 league goals in 15 games have been decisive for Gala, who have a six-point lead over Mourinho and Fenerbahce. Now Galatasaray are making another move that will make it tougher for Mourinho and a Solskjaer in search of the title in the coming seasons.
Transfer journalist Romano reports Galatasaray have convinced Alvaro Morata to move to Turkish football on loan with an option to buy. The Spanish national team captain who led the nation to the European Championship title last summer comes from AC Milan and has shown in recent seasons that he carries the role of goal guarantor.
This comes as Solskjaer has confirmed after his 10 days on the job that Besiktas do not have the finances to sign new players.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will lead Besiktas to the top again, but city rival Galatasaray’s investments do not make the job any easier.
