Vincenzo Italiano emerges as manager target
Beşiktaş are interested in appointing Bologna manager Vincenzo Italiano as the club's next head coach, according to reports from Italy (1). The 48-year-old has built a strong reputation in Serie A, first with Fiorentina, taking them to back-to-back Conference League finals, and now with Bologna.
It's another name on a list that keeps shifting. Your club has already been linked with Filipe Luis, Carlos Vicens, Razvan Lucescu, and Oliver Glasner (who the board publicly denied). The front office seems to be waiting on word from Xabi Alonso regarding a transfer target before committing to any managerial decision. The season finished with Beşiktaş in 4th, and fans want clarity.
Premier League free agent on the radar
Beşiktaş are targeting a Premier League star whose contract has expired, a winger described in Turkish media as the 'heir of Ryan Giggs' (2). No name yet, but the player is available on a free transfer and fits the club's focus on rebuilding the wide positions.
Semih Kılıçsoy has already drawn a formal offer from Cagliari, and decisions have been made on Cengiz Ünder and Milot Rashica as part of a planned winger clear-out. Harry Wilson of Fulham has also been mentioned as a target. The squad overhaul is real, and this free-agent winger could be a central piece of it.
Fan reactions
The mood among Beşiktaş supporters is restless. One fan posted 'If we start the season without a manager, our mental state like: ☠️' (Reddit), while another joked that the manager shortlist keeps shrinking every day, 'Who's the Michael Corleone of our manager shortlist?' (Reddit). A throwback clip of Sergen Yalçın's 2002 freekick against Denizlispor made the rounds, posted with the caption 'we are still looking for a coach and losing our minds' (Reddit). Meanwhile, the basketball team delivered a lift: Beşiktaş GAİN beat Bahçeşehir Koleji 82–79 in the playoff semifinal, with Conor Morgan scoring 13 points (Reddit). One fan summed up the football squad needs bluntly: centre-back, left-back, defensive mid, left wing, right wing, and a number 10, 'edit: goalkeeper' (Reddit).
