Chelsea striker Demba Ba is on the verge of joining Besiktas after passing a medical earlier on Thursday.
After falling out of favor with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, Demba Ba had a less than spectacular season with the Blues. He earned only 19 appearances and scored five goals during the 2013-2014 season.
Even before the season ended, the 29 year-old striker made his intentions of leaving clear. In April, he said, “I’m looking to leave Chelsea. I want to play the full 90 minutes, get the maximum number of games and enjoy myself. I’ve not done that very much this season, and I doubt things will change for me here.”
Turkish club Besiktas had been in talks to loan Ba for the upcoming season from Chelsea but management at Stamford Bridge were looking for a transfer and not a loan. However Besiktas president Fikret Orman stated that a deal had been agreed. Ba was quoted as saying, “I want to showcase my talent to the fans as soon as possible, this is a huge club and I want to become a part of it. I want to thank the fans for their warm welcome and I am sure we are going to establish a great relationship.”
Ba is a powerful striker, as he proved in the past by his performances at Newcastle United and during his first season at Chelsea, so the move should prove beneficial for Ba who is likely to see an increase in playing time. The club finished third in the Turkish league last season, and could use a proven goalscorer up front to help push them forward and become contenders for the title this season.
At 29, the Senegalese striker has a few good years ahead of him but he’s not going to progress sitting on the bench behind Diego Costa and Fernando Torres.
