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Galatasaray has made a significant acquisition to strengthen its midfield ahead of the new season, following a historic 5-0 defeat to Besiktas in the Turkish Super Cup. The Turkish champions have signed Norwich City's Brazilian star Gabriel Sara to a five-year contract.
https://twitter.com/GalatasaraySK/status/1820357607153893527
Galatasaray will pay the English club 18 million euros ($19.7 million) in nine equal installments over three years, the club's highest transfer fee ever.
The previous record for Galatasaray's most expensive transfer belonged to Brazilian striker Mario Jardel, who signed for 17 million euros in the 2000-2001 season. The 25-year-old Gabriel Sara will receive a guaranteed annual salary of 2.75 million euros. Sara started his career at Sao Paulo before joining Norwich City in 2022 for 10.5 million euros. He appeared in 96 Premier League games for Norwich City, scoring 21 goals and assisting 17 times.
Galatasaray has signed 204 foreign players since the formation of the Turkish Süper Lig (formerly known as Turkey's First Football League) in 1959. This milestone highlights the club's long history of international signings.
The year 2023 saw some of the most significant transfers in Super Lig history. Fenerbahce set a record by signing Youssef En-Nesyri from Sevilla for 19.5 million euros, while Galatasaray responded with the 18 million euro signing of Sara. These transactions have altered the list of the most expensive transfers in the league's history.
Rank
Player
Club
Transfer Fee (EUR)
Transfer Fee (USD)
1
Youssef En-Nesyri
Fenerbahçe
€19.5 million
$21.45 million
2
Gabriel Sara
Galatasaray
€18 million
$19.8 million
3
Mario Jardel
Galatasaray
€17.05 million
$18.755 million
4
Cengiz Ünder
Fenerbahçe
€15 million
$16.5 million
5
Nicolo Zaniolo
Galatasaray
€15 million
$16.5 million
6
Dani Güiza
Fenerbahçe
€14 million
$15.4 million
7
Mbaye Diagne
Galatasaray
€13 million
$14.3 million
8
Emmanuel Emenike
Fenerbahçe
€13 million
$14.3 million
9
Bruma
Galatasaray
€13 million
$14.3 million
10
Al-Musrati
Beşiktaş
€11 million
$12.1 million
Top 10 most expensive transfers in Super Lig history
Galatasaray's strategic signing of Sara not only sets a new club record but also signifies the club's ambition and competitive spirit as they prepare for the upcoming season.
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