Galatasaray, set to feature in next season’s Champions League once again, has already launched an active campaign in the transfer market. The Yellow-Reds have been especially persistent about reinforcing their forward line, and in the midst of it one of the side’s key players unexpectedly asked for a move elsewhere.
Last summer the Istanbul giants clinched the Trendyol Süper Lig title, adding a fifth championship star to their badge, and therefore decided to prepare for the new season and European competitions well in advance by kicking off their transfer campaign earlier than usual.
The club’s thinking is straightforward: head coach Okan Buruk has no desire to repeat last season’s mistakes, when a congested schedule resulted in injuries to key players and dropped points in Europe. The top priority, therefore, is a deep, interchangeable bench able to cope with the domestic marathon while still battling Europe’s elite.
The first signing was Leroy Sané. Galatasaray’s board quickly reached an agreement with the 28-year-old German winger, whose contract with Bayern Munich had expired, and handed him a three-year deal. Yet even after Sané’s arrival the coaching staff continued their search for attacking reinforcements when a surprising piece of news emerged from the dressing room.
According to renowned insider Nicolò Schira, Spanish striker Álvaro Morata, who joined the Lions last winter, has formally asked the club to let him leave. Thus the forward, who will turn 33 in October, might spend only half a season in Turkey.
Naturally, suitors have wasted no time. The same report claims that the 32-year-old (sic) marksman is already being courted by two clubs: Como from Serie A and Sevilla from La Liga. Moreover, Como, newly promoted to Italy’s top flight and managed by the legendary Cesc Fàbregas, has already opened direct talks with Morata in an effort to persuade him to move to the shores of Lake Como.
For Galatasaray Álvaro Morata has played 16 competitive matches across all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing three assists—an impressive return given the short adaptation period. Nevertheless, the forward believes it is time for new challenges, and the Istanbul giant must urgently revise its plans for the attacking line before the Champions League group stage begins.
The Galatasaray board now faces a difficult task: satisfy the player’s request while securing a respectable fee, and at the same time fill the gap in attack before the summer window closes. How quickly the Lions overcome this test will largely determine their chances of success both at home and in Europe’s premier club tournament.
