Demba Ba is on the verge of leaving Chelsea after Besiktas confirmed that they have negotiated a fee for the striker.
Ba’s future at Chelsea has been in doubt for several months. However, he claimed towards the end of last season that Jose Mourinho wanted him to stay. The arrival of Diego Costa coupled with the return of Romelu Lukaku appears to have changed his mind, as Besiktas president revealed that the Turkish outfit had negotiated a price for Ba. Fikret Orman said:
“Demba Ba is an excellent player, we have been in talks with Chelsea for a long time over bringing him to Istanbul.
“Talks are ongoing. Chelsea initially wanted £10million for Ba but we have negotiated a price we are happy with. We’ll tell the media once the final deal is done.”
Lukaku has been turning into a controversial figure in the last few months with this constant barrage of interviews. Still, he is a gamble worth taking at just 21 years of age. It is not the case with Ba, who recently turned 29.
Chelsea appeared to have been looking to make a profit out of the £7.5 million signing. Orman latest statements suggest that Ba could be sold around the £7 million mark. Even then, he would represent a fantastic piece of business by the club.
Ba’s goal in the Champions League quarter-final against PSG was solely responsible for the additional £5.5 million in revenue that Chelsea got by reaching the semi-finals. One cannot forget the goal at Anfield, which almost single-handedly prevented Liverpool from winning the title. A priceless goal.