AliousFormer Besiktas technical director Samet Aybaba has made explosive allegations regarding the transfer of Joe Worrall from Nottingham Forest to the Turkish club in January, claiming that the deal was executed without his consent. Journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu has shed light on the controversy, which hints at serious mismanagement and potentially unethical practices within Besiktas.
Worrall joined Besiktas on February 5, initially on a loan deal costing the club €500,000, with an option to make the transfer permanent in the summer. However, the English defender made only nine appearances for the Turkish side, totaling 587 minutes on the pitch. He failed to settle in the Super Lig, and the move was not made permanent. Worrall eventually returned to Nottingham Forest before securing a permanent transfer to Burnley during the summer window.
For Worrall, the brief stint in Turkey appeared to be a fruitless chapter in his career, but for Besiktas, it has now become part of a much larger scandal.
According to Aybaba, the deal to bring Worrall to Besiktas was orchestrated without his approval. He has accused the club’s board of forging his signature on a €5 million transfer offer to Nottingham Forest. Aybaba stated, “The board made a €5m transfer offer for Joe Worrall without asking me, using my signature.”
This claim suggests that Besiktas initially submitted a formal bid of €5 million for Worrall but later attempted to retract it by sending an email to Nottingham Forest, claiming the offer was made in error. Aybaba alleges that this email was a cover-up for the forged signature scandal. The club ultimately withdrew the €5 million offer and negotiated a loan deal for €500,000 instead.
Sabuncuoğlu’s reporting indicates that the forged signature and subsequent email are central to this controversy. The journalist describes the email sent to Nottingham Forest as an attempt to hide the forgery and deflect any potential backlash.
These allegations come shortly after Aybaba’s removal from his position as Besiktas’ technical director, adding further intrigue to the situation. While Aybaba has made his dissatisfaction public, there is speculation that more details about this alleged malpractice may emerge in the coming days.
If Aybaba’s claims are proven true, they could have significant repercussions for Besiktas, potentially damaging the club’s reputation and exposing key individuals to legal or professional consequences. For now, the matter raises serious questions about the internal workings of the club and the processes behind its transfer dealings.
Alious
