Icardi, Zaha, Hakim Ziyech & more: Galatasaray's impressive transfer window summed up
The coup of the summer isn't the one you heard much about
Galatasaray may be a team to surprise in the Champions League this campaign. The defending Turkish champions have had a tasty transfer window, let's have a look at their major arrivals.
Mauro Icardi. The rowdy Argentinian has finally found his footballing home. After years of roaming Milan and Paris, Icardi and his beloved Wanda Nara settled down in Turkey.
On loan from PSG last season, Icardi scored 23 goals in 26 games for Galatasaray who bought him out for €10m in the summer.
Wilfried Zaha. Despite big contract offers from Crystal Palace and Saudi Arabia, the 30-year-old decided to try something new. His bet on Galatasaray making the Champions League group stage paid off — at the time of his transfer, the Turkish club was still in the qualification play-offs.
Zaha joined for free and his wages don't look massive at all.
Hakim Ziyech. The Moroccan didn't realise his full potential at Chelsea but Galatasaray got him at favourable terms.
The 30-year-old received quite an announcement and Man United fans can get a glimpse into what Galatasaray fans are like in their stadium.
🦁 Galatasaray'ın yeni transferi Hakim Ziyech, RAMS Park'ta taraftarların içinde! #TrendyolSüperLig pic.twitter.com/NIgnO1HdmL
— beIN SPORTS Türkiye (@beINSPORTS_TR) August 19, 2023
Tete. The 23-year-old Brazilian may be the coup of the summer. He arrived for free from Shakhtar Donetsk and the only reason he didn't cost Galatasaray €20m+ is the fact that foreign players from Russian and Ukrainian clubs can suspend their contracts there.
Tete spent last season at Leicester City and Lyon, scoring six and assisting three for the Ligue 1 side.
Other transfers for Galatasaray this summer include the following names.
- Kerem Demirbay, a two-time German international who arrived for less than €4m from Bayer Leverskusen.
- Angelino, the former Man City's left-back whose stock kind of fell in recent years joined on loan from RB Leipzig.
- Cedric Bakambu, the Congolese striker who used to score 10+ goals per season for Villarreal joined from Olympiakos (18 goals last season) to cover for Icardi.
Some might say it looks like a typical Turkish transfer window: past-it stars no longer in demand among the elite.
Turkish football expert Mathieu Markaroglu believes the top sides of the league are doing their best to shake that image off and build for the future.
He told FootMercato: "If Turkish football wants to get rid of its image of an exotic league that overpays for oldies, the top clubs have to look at the likes of SC Braga, Atalanta or RB Leipzig where clubs invest in their academies and scouting. These clubs know how to buy and sell players at a much higher price in a few years.
"If this is the case, Turkish club will be able to compete in the Europa League or the Conference League."
Galatasaray share the Champions League group with Bayern Munich, Man United and Copenhagen.
Henry
just love writing about football and playing video games, love my quiet time also. contact me @ [email protected]
