Galatasaray Agenda: Leão, Musiala, Bruno Fernandes, Can Uzun and the Transfer Debate

Transfer Delays and Dursun Özbek

Speaking on Sports Digitale’s Galatasaray X Report, Bülent Timurlenk discussed Galatasaray’s transfer activity and the club’s current management approach.

On the delays in recruitment, Timurlenk said:

“My answer to the question of whether Dursun Bey is putting the brakes on transfers is this: we said the players who left the team are known. Galatasaray have become numerically weaker.”

He compared the transfer market to shopping at a street market:

“When you go to the market in the morning, you have a chance to find the good product. Yes, prices fall towards the evening. But after everyone has touched and picked through everything, you might not find the good tomatoes anymore.”

“When you go to Kadıköy Fish Market in the morning, they ask you, ‘Should I give you this one or that one?’ When you go there at six in the evening, you are stuck with what is left.”

Timurlenk also argued that Galatasaray completing important transfers late in previous seasons should not automatically become a rule:

“I also know that Galatasaray signed Osimhen and Icardi in September. I know the early-August dates when Mertens and Torreira arrived. But is that a law?”

He gave Aral Şimşir as an example:

“If you ask whether Dursun Bey is putting the brakes on, I can give you one transfer that did not happen: he did not allow the Aral Şimşir transfer. I said Okan Hoca wanted him.”

“Galatasaray Potentially Have a 25-Goal Gap”

Timurlenk also discussed how Galatasaray need to distribute their scoring burden.

“You have Osimhen, who can reach double figures. Thankfully, there is no Africa Cup of Nations this season. Hopefully he stays healthy because we never want any player to be injured.”

“When you put him above 20 goals, then add Barış Alper Yılmaz, Leroy Sane, Lucas Torreira, Sara, İlkay, whoever comes in, Davinson Sanchez and Abdülkerim’s headers, you see that Galatasaray potentially have a 25-goal gap.”

He explained what he would expect from the new No.10:

“The man who is going to create that scoring power, that scoreboard power, will be a No.10. And you are going to ask for this: 15 assists, 10 goals.”

“Or he will make 10 goals and 10 assists, but at the same time he will increase Barış’s assist numbers with key passes, add another goal to Osimhen. He will carry the scoring burden.”

The Musiala Story

Timurlenk addressed reports linking Jamal Musiala with Galatasaray:

“You asked me about Jamal Musiala three weeks ago. You asked me about him together with Valverde. I said one is the Real Madrid captain, the other is a player worth more than €100 million. I know about his injury and his World Cup performance too, and I said, ‘What does this have to do with us?’”

On the reports themselves, he added:

“A journalist does not do something without receiving some information. But journalism can also mean putting your name under the story. So I understand the professional excitement of the colleagues who took it almost to the point of saying, ‘I would stake my career on it.’”

“But nothing like that is coming from the German side. Right?”

On the possibility of Bayern Munich loaning Musiala:

“Bayern Munich are still one of the major powers in world football. Would Bayern Munich loan out a player worth more than €100 million? I cannot remember them doing that at this level.”

Rafael Leão: “Galatasaray Don’t Need Him”

Timurlenk compared Rafael Leão’s past performances with his current situation:

“Three seasons ago he was named Serie A’s best player, but for the last two seasons it has been downhill.”

“You would expect English clubs to want a player with this profile and this physical ability, wouldn’t you? Two years ago Milan put a €175 million release clause in his contract and the headlines were basically saying, ‘Don’t come to us for less than €100 million.’”

He questioned Galatasaray’s priorities:

“Last week I said he is not on Okan Buruk’s transfer list. So who is conducting these talks on behalf of Galatasaray?”

He also referred to Fenerbahçe’s reported position:

“If you look from the Fenerbahçe side, they are offering €40 million. Milan are not going below €50 million and they will not give a purchase-option structure.”

On how Leão would fit into Galatasaray’s squad:

“Galatasaray do not have a backup striker yet, they have not signed their No.10, and you would almost be pushing Barış Alper Yılmaz towards the bench.”

“What are you going to do? Put Barış on the right, Rafael Leão on the left, and Leroy Sane behind the striker? If you sign him, you can make these combinations, but as I keep saying, this is about transfer priorities.”

His conclusion on Leão was:

“Maybe this situation could even end up making Galatasaray complete the transfer, but Galatasaray do not need him. The player has very significant strengths, but he also has very significant weaknesses.”

Camavinga and a €60 Million Fee

On Eduardo Camavinga, Timurlenk said:

“Real Madrid are very insistent on this. If Rodri arrives, Camavinga will definitely leave. If he does not, there is still a very strong possibility that Real Madrid move him on.”

He then addressed the potential cost:

“Galatasaray have already signed Leslie, but even if they had not, I do not think Galatasaray could pay Camavinga’s transfer fee. Real Madrid are in a strong position. They want €60 million.”

“There could be interested clubs. Paris Saint-Germain, who were watching him when he originally went to Real Madrid, and English clubs could be among them.”

His view on Galatasaray’s chances was clear:

“I do not think Camavinga to Galatasaray happens. Given the current needs, it does not make sense anyway.”

“The Bruno Fernandes–Galatasaray Meeting Happened”

Timurlenk said directly that contact took place over Bruno Fernandes:

“The Bruno Fernandes–Galatasaray meeting happened.”

He explained why he still saw some room for a possible move:

“I said there was an open door in this transfer for this reason: he may want to leave the league for roughly the same money he earns at United. A different geography. A warmer geography. There are good things he can hear about this place and its reputation.”

On Manchester United’s contractual position:

“United have an option after this season. People say he is entering the final year, but after United’s good football over this half-season and Bruno Fernandes’ relationship with Carrick, pay attention: all these stories over the last week or ten days saying Bruno Fernandes is signing a new contract are not true.”

“What I have confirmed most clearly is this: depending on how things go, United will either activate Bruno Fernandes’ one-year option during the season or they will not.”

Tijjani Reijnders

When asked about reports of a possible loan move for Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, Timurlenk said:

“I would take him tomorrow.”

He added:

“He would do extraordinary things in the Turkish league. I say that entirely based on his season at Milan.”

“He is not really a No.10, let me say that. But he is a very dynamic player you can use as an eight. He is a Champions League player for modern football.”

Can Uzun

Timurlenk also discussed Can Uzun:

“With Can Uzun, I think this deal is around €30 million.”

On the different roles he could cover:

“Galatasaray could use him as a backup striker, on the left wing, and as a backup No.10. And when I say backup, do not understand that as someone who starts every match on the bench.”

“Think of him as part of the rotation. Someone gets injured, someone is suspended. If four players are playing in the front line, you need at least six players who are basically starting-quality players.”

Referring to Okan Buruk’s preferences:

“The coach said, ‘I would want Can Uzun and I would want Bruno Fernandes.’ That is the context in which I look at it.”

Brahim Díaz, Lucumí and Ponomarenko

Three names were then discussed in quick succession.

On Brahim Díaz:

“I do not think Brahim Díaz’s situation is clear. I do not think he will be at Galatasaray.”

On Jhon Lucumí:

“I think Lucumí will go to Juventus. That transfer is flowing very strongly in that direction right now.”

On Matviy Ponomarenko:

“He renewed his contract.”

Regarding the possible cost of the deal:

“If it is a transfer you can complete for €15-20 million and then put him behind Osimhen, there is no room for attitude or ego. Who else are you going to find?”

Timurlenk also recalled Galatasaray’s previous striker depth:

“At one point Galatasaray had Osimhen, Icardi and Álvaro Morata in the squad at the same time.”

“Build the Squad as If You Had Been Waiting Four Years for a Title”

Timurlenk also spoke about the mentality with which the squad should be built:

“There is confidence from winning the title for four years, and next to it there is arrogance flowing like a river.”

“You can finish the first half 2-0 up. You go into the dressing room and the captain shouts: ‘Come on, guys, it is 0-0.’ We are not 2-0 up. No complacency, no looseness, no loss of seriousness.”

“This season, you have to build the squad as if you had been waiting four years to become champions.”

On Okan Buruk:

“At least I see some of that in Okan Buruk. I see it in what he says. There is no problem with his hunger.”

Jelert’s Future

Asked about reports that Elias Jelert could leave on loan, Timurlenk said:

“Jelert will probably go somewhere like Le Havre.”

He then referred to Galatasaray’s previous transfer decisions:

“These three transfers were all made for transfer fees: Frankowski, Cuesta, and Jelert, for whom Ayhan Akman had given a clearly negative report. Who was the actor in the Jelert transfer? Wasn’t it the former sporting director? Weren’t these people close to Dursun Bey? Doesn’t Dursun Özbek’s signature exist on these transfers?”

Technical Staff: “He Was Not Replaced”

Asked whether athletic performance coach Dursun Genç, who left in December 2025, had been replaced, Timurlenk answered:

“He was not.”

He argued that Okan Buruk’s technical team should be expanded:

“For two years I have been stressing that Okan Buruk should expand his technical staff. It does not only have to mean assistant coaches. It could be the video-analysis team, individual training coaches, athletic-performance coaches.”

“My personal opinion is that he is making a mistake by avoiding that.”

“It does not look very Bayern Munich. It does not look very Real Madrid. It does not look very Paris.”

The Ali Sami Yen Pitch

Timurlenk also raised concerns about the condition of Galatasaray’s home pitch:

“In the photo that came through, the pitch looked burned. There is a Galatasaray–Villarreal match on August 7.”

“If that pitch is still burned that day, the league starts one week later. The professionals who are paid for this job, including the executive organising it, have to give Galatasaray a good pitch at the start of the season.”

“They have to provide a good pitch.”

On player safety:

“If you have a striker in your squad that you think you can sell for €120 million, €130 million or €140 million, there cannot even be one tiny hole where that player could plant his foot incorrectly.”

Okan Buruk and the Transfer Demands

In the closing section, Okan Buruk’s statement that Galatasaray need “two starting XIs” was discussed.

Timurlenk said:

“I do not think Okan Buruk has the mentality of saying, ‘Four years is enough for me.’”

He also argued that Buruk should use his position more strongly in the transfer process:

“When my hand is strong, I would bang my fist on the table for transfers. And if I am Okan Buruk, who has a stronger hand than me right now?”

“If there is this kind of negative trajectory, Dursun Özbek, who would replace Okan Buruk as coach, would not complete his own two-year term either.”

Source: Sports Digitale YouTube — Galatasaray X Report, Bülent Timurlenk