Galatasaray vice president Abdullah Kavukcu has made it clear that the Turkish side will end up signing Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu at some point, despite having failed in their move last summer.
The midfielder heavily linked with an exit from the Nerazzurri some months ago. He appeared keen on the deal too and an offer was made. But Inter’s stance proved too strong and a deal never materialised for Galatasaray.
As the Turkish side prepare to take on Juventus in the 2nd leg of the Champions League play-off, club vice president Abdullah Kavukcu was asked about the midfielder.
He spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport, making it clear he will join someday.
“We’ve never hidden our interest. Hakan is an icon of the Turkish national team and a Galatasaray fan. I don’t know when, but I’m sure we’ll see him play for us one day.”
He revealed that Galatasaray also tried to sign Calhanoglu duriing the January transfer window but received a firm response from Inter.
“Yes, we made another attempt for Calhanoglu. We discussed the deal with Inter Milan, but we were told that Hakan wouldn’t leave during the winter transfer window.”
He clarified that executives from Galatasaray are often in Milan, saying: “Your players are perfect for Galatasaray’s style of play. Okan Buruk, our coach, played for Inter for three years, watches every Serie A game, and has very… Italian ideas. That’s why we come to Milan often.”
This is a clear sign that Gala are not going far away from Calhanoglu anytime soon. A deal will likely hinge on Inter’s stance and when they open up to a possible exit.
