Besiktas have confirmed that they are set to sign Jackson Muleka after hi-jacking Burnley’s £3.5 million deal for the Standard Liege forward, via the Super Lig club’s official website.
The irony will not be lost on Vincent Kompany.
Muleka had been identified by the Clarets as a striker capable of filling a Wout Weghorst-shaped hole at Turf Moor. Instead, the DR Congo international will be playing alongside him in Istanbul.
After completing the initial loan signing of Weghorst this week, Besiktas have announced that Muleka will follow in his footsteps. This comes after Burnley’s £3.5 million deal fell through due to work permit problems.
Muleka even underwent part of his medical ahead of a move to the Championship club last week before the transfer collapsed.
Burnley miss out as Besiktas confirm Jackson Muleka
“Negotiations have started with him and his club, Standard de Liege, regarding the transfer of professional football player Jackson Muleka Kyanvubu,” Besiktas say via an official statement.
According to DH, Besiktas will hand Muleka a five-year deal worth around £32,000-a-week, plus bonuses. Speedy and technical, in stark contrast to the old-school, 6ft 6ins Weghorst, Muleka arrives with a terrific track record in Turkey. He scored 15 goals and provided seven assists during a loan spell at Kasimpasa during 2021/22.
And Muleka, who was spotted posing for photos in Istanbul airport last night, will become the third new centre-forward to arrive at Besiktas this week. He joins Weghorst and former fans’ favourite – and Everton misfit – Cenk Tosun. Romain Saiss, formerly of Wolves, is another high-profile addition.
As such, hopes are high as a Besiktas side who finished a lowly sixth last term look to reclaim the title they won back in 2021/
“Everything is progressing very well so far,” former Tottenham loanee Gedson Fernandes tells TRT. “We are learning how to play together as a team. Besiktas is indisputably one of the biggest teams in Turkey.
“Besiktas will be a team fighting for the title.”
Burnley now have just two fit strikers – Jay Rodriguez and Ashley Barnes – ahead of this months’ Championship opener. Matej Vydra will be unavailable for the forseable future.
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