Mata, Rashica & Co. set to join Icardi at Galatasaray - Summer spending continues
Galatasaray are on fire ahead of the Turkish transfer deadline on Thursday. The Süper Lig club are about to complete no less than five deals and have already finalised some of them. The most prominent name is Mauro Icardi, who arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday night after official negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain had previously been reported to the stock exchange.
According to well-informed sources from Italy and Turkiye, PSG will nonetheless continue to pay the lion’s share of the 29-year-old striker’s salary, who still had a market value of €100 million four years ago. The clubs are said to have agreed that Icardi will receive €3 million from Galatasaray and €5 million from PSG for the current season, which he will spend on loan in Turkiye. At the Ligue 1 champions, who do not receive loan fee, his contract runs until 2024.
In addition, Juan Mata, who spent the last 11 years in the Premier League with Manchester United and Chelsea, is close to completing a transfer. The 34-year-old attacking midfielder, on the market as a free transfer since July, is expected to sign a one-year-deal with a salary of €1.8 million. Galatasaray officially confirmed negotiations with the Spaniard in the night from Wednesday to Thursday. Mata made 278 appearances in the English top tier and 129 in LaLiga for Valencia.
Galatasaray: Ex-Barça youngster Demir and Norwich’s Rashica set to join
The Turkish giants also announced the impending signings of Norwich winger Milot Rashica, Rapid Vienna’s Yusuf Demir and Mathias Ross of Aalborg BK. All are expected to arrive in Istanbul ahead of the deadline. According to local news agency DHA, 26-year-old Rashica would join on a loan deal without Norwich receiving a fee in return. 19-year-old forward Demir, who was on loan at FC Barcelona from July 2021 to January 2022, is set to cost €6 million and will sign a four-year contract, while 21-year-old Dane Ross is also expected to join on a permanent deal. Galatasaray, who last won the Süper Lig in 2018/19, had spent around €24 million on new signings ahead of Deadline Day, while generating €12.5 million from player sales.
- Date of birth/Age:
- Apr 28, 1988 (36)
- Nat.:
- Current club:
- Without Club
- Contract until:
- -
- Position:
- Attacking Midfield
- Market Value:
- €800k
- Date of birth/Age:
- Jun 28, 1996 (27)
- Nat.:
- Current club:
- Besiktas JK
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2027
- Position:
- Right Winger
- Market Value:
- €7.50m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Feb 19, 1993 (31)
- Nat.:
- Current club:
- Galatasaray
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2026
- Position:
- Centre-Forward
- Market Value:
- €17.00m
- Total Market Value:
- €181.48m
- Competition:
- Süper Lig
- Position:
- 1.
- Manager:
- Okan Buruk
- Squad size:
- 29
- Latest Transfer:
- Derrick Köhn