Galatasaray fails to sign Hakan Calhanoglu as Inter keeps midfielder for Champions League

Serie A giants Inter Milan have revealed their squad for the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League, with national star Hakan Calhanoglu included on the official list.

The announcement comes shortly after Galatasaray submitted a formal bid for the player on the last day of the transfer window, Sept. 1, which Inter ultimately declined.

Inter Milans Turkish midfielder #20 Hakan Calhanoglu celebrates scoring his teams second goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg football match between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, May 6, 2025. (AFP Photo)

Inter’s Champions League squad 2025-2026

Yann Sommer, Denzel Dumfries, Stefan De Vrij, Piotr Zielinski, Petar Susic, Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez, Luis Henrique, Raffaele Di Gennaro, Josep Martinez, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Francesco Acerbi, Davide Frattesi, Andy Diouf, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Nicolo Barella, Manuel Akanji, Carlos Augusto, Yann-Aurel Bisseck, Federico Dimarco, Matteo Darmian, Alessandro Bastoni.

Inter Milans Turkish midfielder #20 Hakan Calhanoglu reacts during the UEFA Champions League final football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan in Munich, southern Germany, May 31, 2025. (AFP Photo)

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Galatasaray make move for Hakan Calhanoglu amid Inter uncertainty

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Galatasaray’s pursuit of Hakan Calhanoglu

Interest from Galatasaray in Hakan Calhanoglu is not new, but it intensified during the 2025 summer transfer window:

• June 2025: Initial contacts began, with Galatasaray proposing a swap deal involving Gabriel Sara plus cash.
• July–August 2025: Negotiations accelerated, with Calhanoglu’s agent visiting Istanbul to engage directly with club management.
• Player’s Stance: Hakan expressed enthusiasm for a move, stating, “Playing for Galatasaray has been my dream since childhood.” Reports even suggested he was willing to accept a salary determined by the club president.
• Sept. 1, 2025: On the final day of the transfer window, Galatasaray submitted an official offer. Inter refused, citing the difficulty of replacing the player in the squad.

With UEFA’s official list confirming his inclusion, Hakan Calhanoglu remains an Inter player for the Champions League, postponing Galatasaray’s hopes of signing him until at least January.

September 03, 2025 02:27 PM GMT+03:00