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Galatasaray player Roland Sallai has played down speculation about his future, saying he remains focused on the Istanbul club and wants to add more trophies before his contract runs out in 2028.
Speaking to Hungarian outlet Nemzeti, Sallai said his drive to improve had not changed, but made clear that he was not currently looking beyond Galatasaray.
“I am a perfectionist. I want to improve every day and always give my best. Time will tell what happens next. Right now, my main focus is Galatasaray. My contract runs until 2028. I still have things to do here, and I am keeping that in mind. It would be nice to win new trophies with the team,” he said.
Sallai also looked back on Galatasaray’s championship celebrations, describing the scenes inside the packed stadium as another unforgettable experience.
Although he considered the latest celebrations more restrained than the previous year’s events, he said he wanted to share many more similar moments with his teammates and lift as many trophies as possible.
The Hungarian international recalled that the earlier celebrations had included an open-top bus journey through Istanbul, with supporters filling the streets and climbing onto traffic lights. The team later boarded a boat and headed toward a large outdoor stage normally used for major concerts.
Sallai said nearly 1.5 million people had joined the celebrations, according to the information available to him, creating an atmosphere unlike anything he had previously experienced.
Despite winning the third league title of his career, Sallai said he had not yet set aside a special place for his medals. He plans to collect as many as possible before displaying them properly after his playing career comes to an end.
Sallai said the injury that kept him out of Hungary’s match against Kazakhstan was not serious. He had previously played against Finland but left the national team camp as a precaution, with Hungary coach Marco Rossi agreeing that taking no further risk was the right decision.
After playing close to 60 matches for club and country during the season, Sallai acknowledged that the schedule had been demanding. At times, he said, it felt as though the next match was beginning before the previous one had fully ended.
However, he stressed that he was not complaining and remained pleased to have played so regularly. Although fatigue began to build up toward the end of the campaign, he said representing Hungary helped him put tiredness aside.
Sallai was given around one month away from club football, though only about two weeks involved complete rest. He then took up an individual training program to make sure he returned to Galatasaray in the best possible condition.
Discussing his role under coach Okan Buruk, Sallai said he did not expect his position to require a separate conversation during preseason.
While he feels more comfortable playing closer to the opposition goal, he said his priority is to remain on the pitch. Should Galatasaray’s coaching staff continue to use him at right-back, he will seek to give his best in that position.
Sallai also followed the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where several Galatasaray teammates represented their national sides. He said he supported both Türkiye and his club teammates during the tournament.
Assessing Türkiye’s early elimination, Sallai said the national team had been extremely unlucky and had not been outplayed. In his view, Türkiye produced better football than their opponents in two matches but failed to turn their chances into goals.
For now, however, Sallai’s attention remains on his club responsibilities, with his existing deal and his ambition to win further silverware keeping him tied to Galatasaray.
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