One day from the end, with 82 points, the most successful club in Turkey can no longer be joined by its runner-up and great rival Fenerbahçe (77 points), deprived of coronation since 2014. Galatasaray, winner on Tuesday night in Ankaragücü (4-1), was able to rely this season on its Argentine striker Mauro Icardi (21 goals, 7 assists in 24 appearances) and its Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira.
The Argentine, who arrived on loan from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, scored another double. Pariah in Paris, adored in Istanbul, Icardi has once again become a goal machine. A decisive, surgical striker taking advantage of the slightest opportunity to find the net.
The will of the club's leaders is clear: they want to definitively engage the Argentine international (8 caps) whose loan ends at the end of the season. Which would not displease him. "I really want to stay in Istanbul," he said. I was with the best in the world in Paris, but I didn't feel anything on the street. Here I see great interest for me. »
According to Turkish sources, initial discussions have already taken place between the vice-president of the Istanbul club, Erden Timur, and PSG to discuss the idea of a permanent transfer of Icardi to Istanbul. While the player is still under contract until June 2024 with Paris, the financial aspect will be a key point of this file. Galatasaray's leaders are now ready to make significant efforts to finance an operation that could be around ten million euros.
Four years after their last title, the Istanbul Lions are qualified directly for the next Champions League. Okan Buruk players will celebrate their coronation on Sunday in front of their boiling red and gold crowd during the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahçe. Galatasaray finished 13th in the Süper Lig last season, the worst ranking in their history. In addition to the arrivals of Mauro Icardi and Lucas Torreira, the club had strengthened in the off-season and during the winter transfer window by offering the services of Belgian Dries Mertens, Portuguese Sergio Oliveira and Italian striker Nicolo Zaniolo, all from Serie A.