According to Sport, Vlahović was once a target for Barcelona's attack this summer and is now close to joining Beşiktaş.

However, the situation is becoming clearer. Beşiktaş president Serdal Adali has openly admitted that negotiations between the two sides are still ongoing, and the club is stepping up efforts to finalize the signing: "We are moving forward with this." Previously, Vlahović was given an ultimatum a few days ago and asked for time to respond, and now everything appears to be gradually clarifying.

He waited for Barcelona.

In recent weeks, Vlahović has adopted a rather risky strategy. The striker was in no hurry to accept other offers, including Beşiktaş's invitation, as he believed he still had a chance to be called by a European giant. This included Barcelona, who were still looking for a top striker at the time.

The Serbian international was even willing to moderately reduce some of his salary demands simply to continue competing at the highest level and wear the Barcelona shirt. However, Barcelona never took the final step. The priority for the club's management has always been Julián Álvarez, and as the transfer window progressed, Vlahović's option gradually lost appeal and was eventually almost ruled out.

Turkey is becoming more attractive.

Beyond sporting considerations, Turkey is particularly attractive to star players from a tax perspective. Current regulations offer a special tax system for professional players, with a significantly lower tax burden than major European leagues, allowing clubs to offer highly competitive net salaries without substantially increasing total costs.

This is crucial for Vlahović. The Serbian striker has maintained high financial demands, and Beşiktaş is better positioned than other European clubs to meet these figures. According to various sources, the Turkish club is willing to cover almost all of the striker's financial demands to persuade him to finally agree.

Barcelona turns to other targets.

Unless there is an unexpected reversal, Vlahović's name will no longer be on the table at Spotify Camp Nou. Barcelona is still seeking offensive reinforcements, but the priority remains signing a player with distinctive characteristics, with Julián Álvarez still being a key target.

Meanwhile, Vlahović appears to have found the destination he has been seeking for weeks. If all goes as planned, the Serbian striker will move to Istanbul, which will also end a long-running transfer saga this summer involving Barcelona.

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