Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk suggested that they weren’t done chasing after Inter star Hakan Calhanoglu after a controversial pursuit last summer, which didn’t really come close to its desired result.
The coach spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport before the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff versus Juventus.
“I surely follow Serie A. Maybe I’ll be back as a manager one day. I’ve known Hakan for 15 years. He’s a fan of our team. Our supporters want him to come here. Let’s just say that we wait for him with open arms.”
According to Calciomercato, Galatasaray approached and worked primarily with the entourage of Calhanoglu last summer, while Inter never received a concrete bid. They could have perhaps sat at the table for a €40M proposal, but they didn’t want to lose him.
The Turkish team offered half that sum at best. The Nerazzurri will be in a more challenging position if the Cimbom tries again at the end of the season. The contract of the star midfielder expires in 2027, and he makes €6.5M. The parties would have to agree to an extension if he stayed. His salary is already considerable.
He’s been linked to a transfer for two summers in a row at this point, as the saga involved Bayern Munich two years back. The danger will be more concrete in a few months, given his short-term deal. It’s shaping up to be an interesting affair. Their recent matches proved there’s life without him if Piotr Zielinski fares as well as he’s done lately and stays healthy. Though relying on that as the primary solution would be a risky proposition, and elite deep-lying playmakers are very expensive.
