Galatasaray strengthens squad with 7 new transfers

Galatasaray strengthened its squad with 7 new players during the 2023-2024 winter transfer window. The yellow-reds, who loaned Alvaro Morata from the Italian club Milan and transferred Belgian Genk player Carlos Cuesta, also brought back their former player Mario Lemina from Wolverhampton.

Generating 9.4 million euros from the departures of Hakim Ziyech and Michy Batshuayi, Galatasaray also bolstered its UEFA Europa League squad with Morata, Cuesta, and Roland Sallai.

Having finished the last 2 seasons as champions in the Süper Lig, "Cimbom" reached the play-offs in the UEFA Europa League this season. The yellow-red team, which was matched with AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League and sits 3 points ahead of its closest rival Fenerbahçe in the league with a game in hand, made 7 additions to its squad during the winter transfer window.

First, Galatasaray added Ahmed Kutucu, who played for the Trendyol Süper Lig team ikas Eyüpspor, to its squad, and loaned Spanish striker Alvaro Morata from the Italian team Milan. Bringing back their former player, Gabonese Mario Lemina, from Wolverhampton, "Cimbom" transferred Colombian defender Carlos Cuesta from the Belgian team Genk. Loaning Polish player Przemyslaw Frankowski from Lens, Galatasaray finally signed Eren Elmalı from Trabzonspor and Arda Ünyay from MKE Ankaragücü.

The players who joined the squad at Galatasaray during the winter transfer window are as follows:

Player Previous team Contract duration Cost (Euro) Option fee (Euro)

Carlos Cuesta Genk (Belgium) 3.5 years 8 million -

Przemyslaw Frankowski Lens (France) Loaned until end of season 1 million 7 million

Alvaro Morata Milan (Italy) 1-year loan 6 million 8 million

Ahmed Kutucu Eyüpspor 3.5 years 5 million 962 thousand -

Mario Lemina Wolverhampton 1.5+1 years 2 million 500 thousand -

Eren Elmalı Trabzonspor 3.5+1 years 3 million 500 thousand -

Arda Ünyay MKE Ankaragücü 3.5 years 500 thousand -

Total 27 million 462 thousand

Note: The amount of 129 million 717 thousand 700 Turkish Lira announced for Eren Elmalı has been converted to euros.

LEMINA RETURNS TO GALATASARAY

Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina has transferred back to Galatasaray. Lemina, who was loaned from the English team Southampton at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, returned to Galatasaray after wearing the jerseys of Fulham, Nice, and Wolverhampton in subsequent seasons. During his time at Galatasaray in the 2019-2020 season, Lemina scored 1 goal in 28 matches.

HAKIM ZIYECH DEPARTS THE TEAM FOR FREE

Hakim Ziyech joined Al-Duhail's squad for free during the winter transfer window. Ziyech, who spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, had transferred to the yellow-reds from Chelsea in the summer after the conditions for a free purchase were met. Ziyech, who could not provide the desired contribution to the team this season, transferred to the Qatari team Al-Duhail after mutually terminating his contract with Galatasaray.

The Moroccan midfielder scored 8 goals in 34 matches he played for Galatasaray.

9.4 MILLION EUROS REVENUE GENERATED FROM DEPARTURES

Galatasaray generated a total of 9 million 400 thousand euros in revenue from players who left the squad. The yellow-red team first loaned Wilfried Zaha, who terminated his temporary transfer contract with Olympique Lyon, to the MLS team Charlotte FC. Loaning Italian Nicolo Zaniolo, who mutually terminated his temporary transfer contract with Atalanta, to the Serie A team Fiorentina, Galatasaray sold Michy Batshuayi to the Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt. Finally, the yellow-reds loaned Danish defender Victor Nelsson to the Italian team Roma.

The players who left the squad at Galatasaray during the winter transfer window are as follows:

Player Destination team Cost (Euro) Option fee (Euro)

Nicolo Zaniolo Fiorentina (Italy) 3 million 200 thousand 15 million 500 thousand + 2 million

Michy Batshuayi Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) 3 million + 500 thousand -

Wilfried Zaha Charlotte FC (USA) 2 million 700 thousand + 1 million 60 thousand 1 million 250 thousand + 144 thousand

Victor Nelsson Roma (Italy) 500 thousand euros 10 million + 2 million

Hakim Ziyech Al-Duhail (Qatar) Free -

Total 9 million 400 thousand

Note: The amounts in Wilfried Zaha's announcement have been converted from dollars to euros.

NEW SIGNINGS MORATA AND CUESTA ADDED TO EUROPA LEAGUE SQUAD

Galatasaray made 3 changes to its UEFA Europa League squad during the winter transfer season.

Hakim Ziyech, Victor Nelsson, and Michy Batshuayi, who left the team, were removed from the UEFA Europa League squad. At Galatasaray, new signings Alvaro Morata and Carlos Cuesta replaced these names, while Roland Sallai, who could not be included in the squad at the beginning of the season, was also added to the UEFA Europa League list.