Beşiktaş’s naughty boy Töre returns to London with big hopes

West Ham and Turkish title holder Beşiktaş confirmed the loan move of Töre on July 11. 

The British team will pay 2.5 million pounds ($3.2 million) to Beşiktaş for the loan until the end of next season, Beşiktaş said in a filing to the Istanbul Stock Exchange. 

West Ham also confirmed the deal in a statement on its website. 

“West Ham United are delighted to announce that Gokhan Tore has joined the club on a season-long loan for a fee of 2.5 million pounds with the option to buy for a further 10 million pounds [$13 million],” West Ham said on its website. 

 “I am very happy to be at West Ham. I watched many games they played last season and saw how passionate the fans are. That made me want to come here and I am looking forward to playing in front of them,” the site quoted Töre as saying. 

“Slaven was also a big factor in me coming here and he is a great manager. He is the main man and knows me very well. I could not have said no to him,” Töre said. 

Bilic, the former West Ham and Everton defender, coached Beşiktaş between 2013 and 2015. Under Bilic, Beşiktaş reached the Europa League quarter final, knocking Liverpool out in a game for which Töre’s performance received plaudits.  

Brought up in Cologne, Germany, Töre came through the youth ranks at Bayer Leverkusen before being spotted by Chelsea and making the move to west London in 2009.

He signed with Hamburg in 2011 and made his senior debut against Borussia Dortmund.

Following a brief spell in Russia where he spent a season-long loan at Rubin Kazan, he moved to Beşiktaş on loan in June 2013 and helped the Istanbul side win the title last season, scoring four goals and six assists in 24 appearances. 

However, Töre has been under the spotlight not only for his silky skills and strong dribbling but also his private live, which has involved two firearms incidents. 

Töre and five others were injured in an armed attack at a night club in Istanbul following the derby match with Fenerbahçe in April 2014. 

Töre was shot in the back and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital.

Witnesses said the man began to fire his gun after his girlfriend said she was disturbed by how an unidentified man was looking at her, reports speculating that this was linked to the group, including Töre.

Later that year, Töre reportedly threatened two teammates at the national team camp in Germany, attacking midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu and defender Ömer Toprak with a pistol. Toprak subsequently ruled out returning to the Turkey national team in the near future, saying “Töre played with my life and my career.” 

Çalhanoğlu and Töre played together in the Euro 2016 qualification campaign but Töre was left out of the final 24-men squad for the tournament. 


Price tag for Payet

Meanwhile, Payet’s performances at Euro 2016 mean he would cost potential suitors at least 50 million pounds ($65 million), West Ham co-chairman David Gold told BBC on July 11.

The 29-year-old Frenchman - who sparkled for The Hammers last season scoring nine goals in 30 appearances - had a memorable Euro campaign and scored some spectacular goals. 

“Super clubs would come after a player of his ability,” Gold told BBC Radio. “We wouldn’t even listen to an offer of less than 50 million.”