Vincenzo Italiano on Beşiktaş and transfers: Salah on hold, Trossard arriving in early August

Beşiktaş manager Vincenzo Italiano evaluated his first days at the black-and-white club, the transfer agenda, and his goals for the new season in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Italiano emphasized Galatasaray in his assessment of the race in the Süper Lig. The Italian manager stated, "We must challenge Galatasaray, who have been champions for four years in a row. The team is strong, and if we can sign two or three more players, we will be even stronger."

Speaking about Leandro Trossard and Mohamed Salah, whose names have appeared in transfer headlines, Italiano said of Trossard, "He is great, he is coming in early August." Regarding Salah, the experienced manager was more cautious, saying, "For now, everything is on hold, for the time being. But we have Orkun Kökçü with us, a great captain."

''I HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A WARM ENVIRONMENT''

Touching on his life in Istanbul, Italiano stated that being close to the training facilities is important to him and mentioned that he is considering renting a house on the Asian side. Explaining that he reached the facilities from his home in a very short time at his former club Bologna, Italiano expressed that he wants to maintain the same work discipline at Beşiktaş.

Stating that he is impressed by the atmosphere at Beşiktaş, Italiano said, "It is a top-level club, a great organization, an excellent sports center, and an incredible atmosphere. It is full of enthusiasm from the first minute; I had never seen or experienced such a warm environment before."

Stating that the goal of European competitions is important for the club, Italiano emphasized that Beşiktaş must continue its journey in Europe. The Italian manager expressed that the club expects him to compete in Europe and that staying on the European stage is just as important as which competition it is.

Speaking about his departure from Bologna, Italiano said that he could have stayed in Italy, but some periods naturally come to an end. Denying the claim that he left Bologna because he had a prior agreement with Napoli, Italiano stated that his decision was made independently of that.

Italiano also revealed that he had a meeting with Benfica, saying that the Portuguese club honestly informed him that another manager was ahead of him in the process. He explained that he turned down interest from Milan only after his Coppa Italia victory.

Expressing that he has not forgotten his days at Bologna, Italiano stated that his European experience holds an important place in his career, noting that Fiorentina and Bologna introduced him to the world, which allowed him to receive an offer from a big club like Beşiktaş.