The midfielder has signed a new contract with Istanbul which will take him 3,000 miles away from Britain for much of the year. He had a serious discussion with Perrie before accepting the big bucks and it was decided he would travel there regularly to keep their relationship alive.
A source said: “It hasn’t been an easy decision because Perrie and Alex have their young son Axel to think about and they don’t want to live their lives apart.
“The deal was too good to turn down though so they are giving it a shot and are determined to make it work.
The plan is for Alex to come back here as much as possible, and during football season, Perrie flies regularly with Axel so they can be together.
“They know it’s not going to be straightforward but they love each other and want to support one another’s dreams. That means making some sacrifices.”
Things will wrap up later this year as Perrie waits to start her solo career while Little Mix is on hiatus.
He signed with Columbia Records, home of Beyonce and Harry Styles, and worked in a home studio for over a year.
Alex’s move means Perrie is in a similar position to her teammate Leigh-Anne Pinnock, who has been shuttling between the UK and Greece since her husband Andre Gray signed for Aris FC in Thessaloniki last summer.
Announcing the news of his new home this week, Alex, far left in his team’s kit, wrote on Instagram: “Thank you for the warm welcome @besiktas. “Excited for this new challenge and can’t wait to get started.”
