Demba Ba seals Chelsea exit with move to Besiktas

Demba Ba (C) meets with Fikret Orman (L), chairman of Besiktas, at the under construction building of Vodafone Arena Stadium in Istanbul after signing for the Turkish side.

Turkish powerhouse Besiktas have completed the signing of Demba Ba from Chelsea for a a fee of €6m, the Blues announced on their site.

The Senegalese forward spent 18 months at Stamford; a span which saw the striker make only 33 appearances for the Londoners and netting 7 goals in the process.

A host of clubs, including a number of Premier League clubs were interested in Ba’s signature. But it seems it seems Champions League football is what lured lured away from the EPL.

The striker had his best spell in England in the colours of Newcastle United. During his 18 month stint in the North-East, Ba came to the fore, bagging 29 goals in 54 appearances for the Magpies.

Demba Ba was already behind Fernando Torres and Romelu Lukaku in the pecking at Chelsea and with the arrival of Diego Costa, it would have dropped the ex-Newcastle man further down the chart.

The fee of €6m to be paid by the Turkish club will be paid in 4 instalments after an initial amount of €1.5 was paid up front. The break up looks as follows:

• 1.5 million euros in cash
• 1.5 million euros on 31.12.2014
• 1.0 million euros on 30.06.2015
• 1.0 million euros on 31.12.2015
• 1.0 million euros on 30.06.2016

The Turkish side will be paying in such a manner so as to also compensate for the €2.5m/year salary that the Sengalese forward will be fetching.

After joining the Besiktas, Ba said on their official site: In quotes on the Besiktas website, Ba said: “I’ve had a lot of positive feedback about Besiktas and Istanbul from my Senegalese friends in Turkey. To play in a Muslim country and in a new stadium is definitely very exciting.

“I know what my coach, Slaven Bilic, expects from me, and I am open to all sorts of competition. Since Besiktas fans like hard-working and spirited players, I will give everything I’ve got in order not to disappoint them.”

Ba has been handed the no. 9 shirt.