Vlahović Brings Tomatoes to Beşiktaş Owners
The Serbian striker signed a three-year contract with the Turkish club, drawing attention with an unusual gift from Serbia.
The Serbian striker signed a three-year contract with the Turkish club, drawing attention with an unusual gift from Serbia.
Dušan Vlahović arrived in Turkey to complete his transfer to Beşiktaş, and besides the spectacular welcome from fans, an extremely unusual detail caught the eye alongside his luggage: two crates of tomatoes from Serbia. As the Serbian footballer addressed the media and gathered fans at Istanbul airport, officials neatly stacked several kilograms of tomatoes next to his belongings.
The sight sparked numerous reactions and questions, especially since Turkey is known for its quality tomatoes. It was soon revealed that the tomatoes were not intended for Vlahović himself, but for members of the Beşiktaş delegation.
The background to this unusual story was revealed by Turkish journalist Emre Tanriver. According to him, it all started in Belgrade during the final transfer negotiations. Beşiktaş representatives dined with Vlahović and were particularly impressed by the taste of the tomatoes served with the meal.
"I found out the background of the tomato story. The Beşiktaş owners who dined in Belgrade really liked the taste. That's why he gifted them two crates before arriving," Tanriver wrote.
Vlahović remembered their reaction and decided to prepare a surprise for them upon arriving in Istanbul. This unusual move quickly became a hot topic among the supporters of the black-and-white Istanbul club, who mostly reacted with cheerful and positive responses.
Beşiktaş officially presented the 26-year-old striker on Thursday, August 13, 2026. The Turkish club and Vlahović signed a three-year contract, and numerous fans had already welcomed him on Wednesday evening. Vlahović is Beşiktaş's second major signing this summer, following Belgian international Leandro Trossard, who arrived in Istanbul from Arsenal.
"We want to be Turkish champions," Vlahović said upon arriving in Istanbul. Beşiktaş last won the Turkish league title in the 2021 season.
Vlahović began his professional career at Partizan, and from 2018 he was in Italy's Serie A. He first played for Fiorentina, and from 2022 he has been with Juventus. The last two seasons in the Turin squad were not particularly successful for him; he lost his status as the first-choice striker and increasingly struggled with injuries.
In a Juventus shirt, across all competitions, he recorded 168 appearances and 68 goals. For the Serbian national team, he has made 41 appearances and scored 16 goals.
