Barely visible at Sunderland with 31 minutes this season, Moroccan winger Chemsdine Talbi is attracting interest from Beşiktaş again, who are considering a loan with an option to buy as soon as the Turkish winter transfer window opens.
Chemsdine Talbi’s name is doing the rounds in Istanbul again. According to Turkish media outlets Sporx and Fotomaç, Beşiktaş have re-added the Moroccan international winger at Sunderland to their shortlist ahead of the winter transfer window. The deal would take the form of a loan with an option to buy, a formula the Istanbul hierarchy favour given the English club’s financial demands.
The information remains a rumour: no official offer has been made and no agreement is confirmed at this stage. It is based on the player’s difficult situation, having played only 31 minutes this season with the Black Cats, a meagre amount of game time that cost him his place in the Atlas Lions squad for the October 2026 international window.
Limited game time at Sunderland
At 21, Chemsdine Talbi is going through a lean spell on the pitch. The former Club Brugge player, where he came through the ranks, has totalled just 31 minutes this season in a Sunderland shirt. A drought that is weighing on his development and his international visibility, even though the player already has 128 professional matches for 20 goals and 15 assists in his career, 35 direct contributions in total.
That lack of rhythm has had immediate consequences. The Atlas Lions head coach did not call him up for the October 2026 international window. For a Moroccan international, losing his place in the rotation just months before major fixtures is a strong signal. Talbi, for his part, is tempted by the prospect of regular game time and European competition, according to Eagle Media.
Beşiktaş looking to strengthen their wide areas
In Istanbul, the need is clear. Beşiktaş are primarily looking to strengthen their wide areas and midfield to stay in the Süper Lig title race, according to Fotomaç. The profile of the Moroccan right winger fits that search: direct, capable of playing across the front line, he would provide an extra option in a team targeting the top of the Turkish league.
Also according to Eagle Media, the Istanbul coaching staff have given the green light to open talks over a loan. The board favour that formula over a permanent transfer because of the English club’s financial demands: Sunderland would reportedly ask for a fee of around €20 million for a permanent departure of their player, according to Fotomaç. A figure that, at this stage, is nothing official and remains to be confirmed.
It remains to be seen whether the Black Cats will agree to part temporarily with a contracted player. For now, the lead is only a set of indications reported by the Turkish press, and no English source has confirmed it.
Turkish transfer window opens in early January
The calendar provides a clear deadline: the Turkish winter transfer window will open in early January, a window that could allow the deal to be completed, according to Sporx. Until then, Sunderland continue to play in the Championship and are awaiting official talks, again according to the same source. For Talbi, every appearance in a Black Cats shirt could tip the scales: a return to form would change the picture, both for his club and for a possible departure.
The case is also a reminder that the Antwerp native is no stranger to the top level. Having come through the Brugge academy, he has already racked up 128 professional matches and 35 direct contributions. A CV that explains Beşiktaş’s persistent interest, but also Sunderland’s caution, as they have no intention of selling a 21-year-old player still under contract on the cheap.