Olaitan Joins Besiktas as 196th Foreign Player
Junior Olaitan has etched his name into Beşiktaş history after becoming the first Beninese footballer to sign for the club.
The 23-year-old midfielder joined the Istanbul giants from Göztepe in the final days of the winter transfer window, penning a 3.5+1 year contract. His arrival makes him the 196th foreign player to wear the black-and-white jersey, with Beşiktaş having previously recruited 195 players from 55 different countries.
Olaitan began his European career in January 2022 when he moved from Ayema in Benin to French side Niort. He later featured for Troyes and Grenoble, spending three and a half seasons in France before switching to Göztepe last August.
His standout performances in Izmir quickly caught the attention of Beşiktaş, who moved to secure his services.
On the international stage, Olaitan made his debut for Benin on September 2, 2021, against Madagascar under coach Michel Dussuyer. He came on in the 84th minute and has since gone on to earn 38 caps, scoring five goals for his national team.
Olaitan’s signing marks Beşiktaş’s third addition in the winter transfer window, following the arrivals of Yasin Özcan and Kristjan Asllani.
