Mario Gomez: I have not decided to leave Beşiktaş

ISTANBUL

AFP photo

The future of Beşiktaş’s prolific German striker Mario Gomez, who has played a big role in the Istanbul side’s current success with two dozen league goals, remains in doubt, with the 31-year-old saying he had yet to make a decision. 

“As I already said last week, let’s just be champions. All together,” the hitman, who plays on loan for leader Beşiktaş from Italy’s Fiorentina, wrote on his official Facebook page, giving fans a little hope that he might stay. 

“I’ve always said that I can very well imagine [staying] here,” he said, praising the “cool fans” and the new stadium of the team. 

“That’s why my advisors will hold talks after the season with Florence and Beşiktaş,” he said.  

“I definitely have not decided to leave Besiktaş,” he said, ruling out earlier media reports that speculated that he had officially informed the club of his wish to leave. “All those who think they know something only want to bring unrest,” he said. 

According to the initial deal between the Italian and Turkish teams and Gomez, the former Bayern Munich and Stuttgart star would stay with Beşiktaş if he did not announce a departure by April 21. 

The media said before the deadline that Gomez had demanded additional time, reportedly until May 24, but the club allegedly said this was too late. 

Beşiktaş is set to visit archrival Galatasaray on May 8, hoping to maintain its three-point cushion over Fenerbahçe.

Gomez, who began the season with a slight injury, has found the net 24 times in 31 appearances so far, including some goals that brought key points for the title contender. 

He has already broken the record for the most goals scored by a foreign player at Beşiktaş, surpassing the 18 goals by Pascal Nouma and Demba Ba. Now he is close to breaking former Beşiktaş legend and Turkish international Feyyaz Uçar’s overall record of 28 goals in one season. 

Gomez has also assisted on six goals. 

The German international also wrote his name in the history book by tallying the first goal in Beşiktaş’s new Vodafone Arena stadium by the Bosphorus. 

Various reports have speculated that Manchester United and Manchester City from England and Wolfsburg from Germany are in talks with Fiorentina to secure the German’s services.