In a coup for Süper Lig club Galatasaray, Bundesliga and Premier League winner Leroy Sané has joined the club.
So after the arrivals of Victor Osimhen, Dries Mertens, Mauro Icardi and Alvaro Morata, is the tide turning in Turkish football?
Dotun, Andy & David Cartlidge discuss how they might fare in next season’s Champions League.
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On The Continent is the UK’s most popular European football podcast and your definitive guide to all the news, analysis and opinion from the continent – covering the Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, and beyond.

48 Comments
2 shirt sponsors one for European football other for league 20m eur per season, stadium sponsors, back of the shirt sponsors, shirt sales, money coming in from CL, they also have private investments as a club, one of the clubs plots of land has a build starting of 300+ villas with 0 capital coming out from the clubs account. The contraction company is footing the build, on completion club will profit around 300m euros. They have the most expensive season tickets in europe and it’s sold out.
They are fantastic and clearly best in their country so far.
and don't forget, galatasaray is one of the iconic teams in champions leauge since 1993.
Top channel! Balanced, high quality and informed discussion. Subscribed!
Can say you guys die great investigation of Gala. as a galatasaray fan 🙂
We are able to sign players because our team is like a family. When a player leaves he recommends Gala to others. Having money also helps😂
Easy answer. Because he played against Gs in Rams Park 🙂
We are nowhere near success. Gala fans want a Euro cup. We want a good management and a good squad who is competitive and wants to win!
Could it be Gala's style of play that attracts these top players? Because It has a style that likes to play constantly on the offensive
My friendö you gain yourself a Galatasaray fan Subscribtion. Great content.
I am only here because I click on everything I see refering to Galatasaray. According to the smart comments under this video you guys must drop serious knowledge
great content luv from gala fans
Fantastic discussion and as someone who closely follows Turkish football, I’d like to add one more factor that I think is often overlooked, especially by those outside of Turkey.
Yes, Galatasaray attracts players with competitive salaries, European football, a great atmosphere, and ambition. But there’s something deeper and more emotional happening too: a unique sense of belonging that many players develop at the club.
Unlike most teams, Galatasaray has an unusual ability to foster loyalty and emotional connection in its players. Of course, not every transfer works out, names like Zaniolo, Ziyech, Zaha, or Falcao are examples of that. But look at how many players, even years after leaving, speak about Galatasaray with genuine affection: Sneijder, Drogba, Melo, Hagi, Kewell, Muslera, Icardi, and recently even Mertens, Gomis, Sánchez, Osimhen (potentially), and more.
These are players who have worn the shirts of some of the world’s biggest clubs, yet when they reflect on their careers, many say their most unforgettable memories were made at Galatasaray. There’s a culture at the club that creates a family-like bond, a sense of unity and purpose, which is rare not just in Turkey, but in all of European football.
That emotional connection, call it culture, chemistry, or identity is something you can’t easily buy or build overnight. But Galatasaray seems to have mastered it over time. And that might just be its greatest weapon.
you may underestimate and belittle Turkish League and that makes total sense, but you have no idea what Galatasaray can do, Leroy Sane transfer is just tip of the iceberg, sit back watch what they will do until the champions league start! you will be amazed!
WE ARE THE BEST GALATASARAY ❤💛 ❤💛
Forza Gala 💛❤
More than 10 years ago Wesley Sneijder joined Gala when he was 29. Just 2 years after he won CL, Serie A, Coppa Italia and Club World Cup with Inter. They robbed his Ballon d'Or that year as he was selected as the 4th best player in the world. Considering his position as playmaker and ranking at that time, this transfer was more unexpected than Sane's. Good feedbacks from great players can only attract great players.
One of the stars in the Champions League logo symbolizes Galatasaray. ⭐️⭐️🌟⭐️⭐️
Wesley Sneijder coming to GS was the start of the 2010s dominance. We damn near made the semi final of the UCL.
It’s simply because of Galatasaray one of the biggest teams in the world. Very, very huge.
The Winning super league 3 times in a row is hard… Besiktas and Trazonspor achieve this back in the years. Galatasaray actually win 4 times in a row and after that they won the Uefa Cup and Super Cup. Now we have 3 championships also we get 5 star and we are biggest in the turkey. We basicly try to became bayern munich in the super league. We want to go Champions League every year. There is a little bit competition With Fenerbahce but Fenerbahce is in chaos right know and they have need to a build a good project and act. Galatasaray is different from other teams. Everbody in this team workers like everbody is a family. Fans are crazy. Also they have money and projects… We have money and this also we have good transfer limits. Player doesnt play taxes so they earn much more money. You can call Turkiye is like Saudi but we are not. Because we can fight those european teams. They not. We are lost our Captain Goalkeeper Muslera. Looking for top level Goalkeeper and Waiting for Osimhen. After July 15 when Osimhen decide to go Premiere league or Saudi, we gonna go top level and young strikers. We want also stay Alvaro Morata but he wasnt stay because he wants to play full for World Cup. Probably he will go Como. Galatasaray will become top level european team in 2-3 years, but we have to succsess on group stages on champions league. Galatasaray is a world brand. We have great history. a lot of players like Leroy Sane when they come to RAMS PARK they wish like why we dont have this kind of fans… let me give u a simple example like Jonathan David is also Gala fan. Because he raised with some turkish and Galatasaray fans. U can say more more top level players. Like ilkay Hakan calhanoglu also Gala fan. We will gonna be great club in 2-3 years.. We will show everybody <3 sorry for my bad england and Fenerbahçe Ananın AMI.
❤️💛❤️💛❤️💛❤️
Galatasaray Next Year in CL: Petrovic Sanchez Alexsandro Boey Jacobs Torreira Calhanoglu Ilkay Sancho Sane Osimhen
Don't forget wherever Galatasaray plays, even in the North Pole, there will be as many Galatasaray supporters as available away tickets. Massive support worldwide and Galatasaray is richer than most of the clubs in the world. Only Galatasaray island in the middle of the Bosporus Strait is worth over 1.6 billion USD. Our shirt sales are in the top 10 in Europe and we have a sold-out 52600 capacity stadium every year with demand being x3 more. Not to mention Galatasaray high school and university 🎓 Galatasaray is not just a football club, it’s a way of life
Another 10M sponsor is coming (SOCAR)
Im a born westerner and a born Galatasaray fan. Im shouting for decades that Galatasaray isnt fullfilling its potential. And exactly that is being tackled by the Galatasaray board for the last 3 years. We are playing for a full house for almost 3 years straight (can remember 2 matches with a lower than %75 capacity attendance for the last 3 years). We have about 35 million fans in Turkiye and above 10 million fans outisde of Turkiye. The club has finally found its way to reach the merchandise to the supporters home. Our sponsors are waiting in a que to be a part of the club.
Its not a one trick pony, Galatasaray is still going to grow. Galatasaray has a masterplan to earn about 50 million annualy with the rent over 1 billion euros which is about to reach Galatasaray with the sale of their former training grounds. Many fans are complaining about not being able to get tickets for a match, so at one point the stadium will be expanded or a new one will be build. Any many more futures are coming to Galatasaray.
And besides, which club can pull 3,5 million live viewers on youtube (generating 2 million euros via youtube) 2am because they signed a star player (Leroy Sane). We are a huge magnet! We are the best! We are GALATASARAY! ❤️💛
Champions league loading ✅
Big Family 🦁♥️💛
I swear if Galatasaray end up signing or loaning Mbappe in like 6 years and no one ends up noticing 😭
Last season , Galatasaray's net budget was 250 millon euro. The main income items of the club were ;
– Stadium ( Tickets , Stadium name sponsor , advertesiment income in stadium billboards etc. )
– Galatasaray stores (79 millon euro last year)
– Other sponsorships like Jersey etc..
– The Riva Construction Project
– The Income from Galatasaray papers in Istanbul Stock exchange market
– Financial helps from Galatasaray school members ..
Note : Galatasaray actually is a school which is founded in year 1481. The club founded by students and teachers in 1905 .The club accepts members only the people who are graduated from Galatasaray High School or Galatasaray University and they have a lot of important member from businessman, politican etc..
On the other hand , Galatasaray leading two construction projects on two huge fields in Istanbul which the club owned..
1) Riva project : Total area is 117 Hectare and half of the area aready constructed and saled. Galatasaray, already earned 170 millon Dollar income from this project but they used the money for closing the debts to the Banks . The club announced that the remaining debt to the banks is 28 millon euro (1. 3 billion Turkish Lira with interests) and the Riva project will bring additional 285 millon dollar income and they will close the all debt to the banks ( the clubs are paying annually % 50 additional interest on principal debt to the banks because of the high inflation in the country ) .
2) Florya Project : Florya field actually Galatasaray's training facility ( 80 Hectare) , Galatasaray builded a new training facility in Kemerburgaz area and they are starting the new construction project on old Florya field and they are expecting 400-450 millon Euro income from this project . Last week they started to tender process with construction companies.
Current income is 250 millon euro .. after closing the debts this income will increase and when we add to the incomes from constrcution projects , Galatasaray will reach to 1 billon euro budget so… In next 4-5 years Galatasaray will be one of the richest clubs in Europe ..
💛❤
Would you guys react like this if superstar players like Osimhen, Sane, Icardi joined teams like Lyon, Marseille, Benfica, Porto, Ajax? Of course not, because people see these clubs I mentioned as higher than the teams in Turkey.
Also, it is very painful for people to compare the Turkish Super League with the Saudi League and MLS. The Turkish Super League is in competition with the Portuguese, French and Dutch Leagues. The French League may be better than the leagues I mentioned, but these leagues are still very good.
The biggest source of income for Turkish teams are sponsors and fans. They are not plastic like other leagues, Turkish teams are deep-rooted clubs. So there is no oil.
Please stop being surprised by this situation, stop giving stupid reactions and enjoy the Turkish league.
"Wanna win some trophy?"
"Wanna play in Champions League?"
This is what others don't get: Leroy Sané is not an extravagant move. Not a regular type as well but come on, we are probably among top participants in CL and 3 consecutive league titles… Idk man, what needs to be done to convince you that Galatasaray is a valid choice for a star like Sané?
well obviously interviewer don't know shit about Galatasaray;) go do your research man before asking this question in a pejorative way
And there is always efect of former Galatasaray players like kewell , drogba or Schneider etc. Sane did the same according to local press. He talked former players about Galatasaray and heard nothing other than grateness. Even arsenal has Galatasaray corner in their museum about uefa final from 25 years ago.
We do not dream of top players anymore and Ronaldo is still staying at Al Hilal so and its not all about money. Gala is a big brand. Osimhen was with us we won UEFA league 10 years ago etc..
Oshimen will sign with Galatasaray. His been offered $21million for 3 years and plus $5 million in bonuses. Galatasaray has offered more money than any European club to Oshimen, even Chelsea cant meet his financial needs.
This is nothing new. Gala got one of top 50 players of all time Hagi when he was 30 and he helped them to win 2 European titles defeating Arsenal with their best squad ever including prime Henry, Viera, Pires and Real Madrid with prime Casillas, Figo, R.Carlos, Raul and more. Gala also signed Sneijder when he was just a 27 yo Baloon D'or nominee (some said it was rigged for Messi) and doing wonders with Inter in Champions League and Serie A (won them all).
How dit they signed ? Because Turkish league has a history if signing big names way before China or Saudi. Drogba, Sneijder, Anelka, Okocha, Van Persie, R Carlos all played in Istanbul
As a Turk and fan of the super league. I’m so shocked myself 😂. Turkish league is great, entertaining, fans are awesome, however, it’s not top flight futbol.
❤💛
Answer is simple: they will play champions league, they can offer player more play time than any other team and they can pay for the hefty salaries.
Galatasaray is not only a sports team but a culture as mentioned in the comments. It has a Western culture embedded. That’s why we, not the richer Fenerbahçe made an impact in Europe. However the Turkish League got to such a terrible point in the recent years I don’t think this hopefully upcoming run of Gala in Europe will be sustainable. It is such a divided league. The probability of the 3rd place team to get demoted to a lower league was HIGHER than their chance of being the champions. This is not sustainable!
By offering the best price 🤣
with gouvermnet fee's and rigged season championships
❤️💛❤️💛
Galatasaray if Osiman say yes this year for Galatasaray watch out …..
Galatasaray is a legendary club,top 20 in europe.