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Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
1) Robin Van Persie (Fenerbahçe) - Last season’s runners-up, Fenerbahçe, spent 39.8 million euros on new transfers before the start of the football season, just 2 million euros short of Galatasaray’s all-time record spending spree ahead of the 2012-13 campaign. Former Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie (32), with his market value of 15 million euros, leads the charge. He’ll partner up front for Fener with Mousa Sow.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
2) Nani (Fenerbahçe) - Nani is another 15 million-euro transfer from Manchester United this season. The 28-year-old winger was ecstatically welcomed by thousands of Fenerbahçe fans at an Istanbul airport last month, just like van Persie. Nani is expected to fill the void left by Dutch star Dirk Kuyt after he returned to Feyenoord following a successful spell with the Canaries.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
3) Lukas Podolski (Galatasaray) - Title-holder Galatasaray opted to protect its winning squad, which includes international stars like Wesley Sneijder and Fernando Muslera, with one big-name signing: The Lions grabbed Lukas Podolski from Arsenal. The 30-year-old left-winger and center forward has a current market value of 7.50 million euros. He’ll partner Burak Yılmaz in Galatasaray’s strike force.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
4) Mario Gomez (Beşiktaş) - Beşiktaş, which disappointed its supporters with a third-place finish after a good start last season, has acquired German striker Mario Gomez from Fiorentina on loan. With a market value of 10 million euros, Gomez is expected to fill the void left by Demba Ba, whom Beşiktaş sold to China’s Shenhua for 12 million euros after he scored 18 goals in the Turkish Super League last season.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
5) Ricardo Quaresma (Beşiktaş) - The Portuguese winger is back at Beşiktaş after two years with Al-Ahli and Porto. Beşiktaş fans expect “Q7” to repeat the form he displayed here from 2010 to 2013. The 31-year-old cost Beşiktaş 5.50 million euro this time.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
6) Samuel Eto’o (Antalyaspor) - Antalyaspor, a football club from southern Turkey, surprised many by signing the world-famous Samuel Eto’o this season. The Cameroonian striker has not been as productive as in his Barcelona and Inter years during more recent forays in Dagestan, England and Italy, but even at 34 years old, he may make the world learn the name of Antalyaspor.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
7) Dame N’Doye (Trabzonspor) - Senegalese striker Dame N’Doye is the top name to join the Black Sea Storm, coming from Hull City following the Tigers’ relegation from the Premiership. With a 7 million-euro price tag, the 30-year-old striker faces high expectations from the passionate fans of the Black Sea city club. He’ll partner with Oscar Cardozo in Trabzonspor’s striking force.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
8) Fernandao (Fenerbahçe) - The top scorer of last season left Bursaspor for Fenerbahçe for 6.5 million euros. At 1.92 meters, the 28-year-old Brazilian striker is expected to be a formidable force for the Yellow Canaries.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
9) Ozan Tufan (Fenerbahçe) - The 20-year-old former Bursaspor midfielder’s price tag of 7.5 million euros was criticized by some, but others hail Ozan as “the next Arda Turan of Turkish football.”
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
10) Şener Özbayraklı (Fenerbahçe) - Another signing from Bursaspor for Fenerbahçe... Several clubs had competed to sign the 25-year-old right back, but Fenerbahçe inked the deal by paying 6 million euros.
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
11) Fabiano Ribeiro (Porto-Fenerbahçe)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
12) Abdoulaye Ba (Porto-Fenerbahçe)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
13) Josef de Souza (Sao Paulo-Fenerbahçe)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
14) Simon Kjaer (Lille-Fenerbahçe)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
15) Lionel Carole (Troyes-Galatasaray)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
16) Jose Rodriguez (Real Madrid Castilla-Galatasaray)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
17) Jem Karacan (Reading-Galatasaray)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
18) Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim-Beşiktaş)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
19) Rhodolfo (Gremio-Beşiktaş)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
20) Luis Pedro Cavanda (Lazio-Trabzonspor)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
21) Stephane M’bia (Sevilla-Trabzonspor)
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
The following three names that Fenerbahçe grabbed from Bursaspor amid fierce competition should be watched carefully this season as well...
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
And here are the other new significant signings ahead of the league, which kicks off Aug. 14...
Top 21 transfers ahead of new football season in Turkey
Van Persie, Podolski, Mario Gomez, Eto’o and Nani are the brightest new stars of the Turkish Super League, but they are not the only signings this season. Click here for all of them.
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