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Galatasaray, which has yet to complete a marquee signing many supporters had anticipated ahead of the new season, has moved to strengthen its attacking options by pursuing Aleksey Batrakov, a 21-year-old attacking midfielder from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow.
The Istanbul-based side has turned to the Russian market as part of its efforts to reinforce the number 10 position.
Galatasaray officials have reached personal terms with Batrakov on all major points of a potential contract. With the player side of the agreement largely settled, the club has now opened discussions with Lokomotiv Moscow over a transfer fee, a step considered central to finalizing the move.
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Batrakov's current market value is estimated at €28 million, approximately $32.3 million at current exchange rates. Galatasaray has formally submitted a letter of interest to Lokomotiv Moscow as part of the negotiation process.
Should the two clubs reach an agreement on a fee and the transfer proceed to completion, Batrakov would be eligible under Turkish football's "10+4" regulation, a rule that allows clubs to register young foreign players outside the standard senior foreign player quota.
Under this framework, Batrakov could be included in Galatasaray's squad for two seasons without counting against the club's regular limit on foreign players.
A product of Lokomotiv Moscow's youth academy, Batrakov emerged as one of the club's key attacking figures last season, recording 17 goals and 9 assists across 36 official matches.
His form at club level has also translated to the international stage: he has made 12 appearances for the Russian national team, scoring four goals during that span.
The midfielder's combination of goal-scoring output and creative contribution has made him one of the more closely watched young players to emerge from the Russian league in recent seasons, and his potential move to Türkiye's Süper Lig would mark a significant step in his career.
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