Deniz Gül (AA Photo)
Turkish Süper Lig champion Galatasaray has capped off the transfer window by signing Turkish international forward Deniz Gül and bringing in French defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu on loan from Leipzig.
Determined to defend its league crown and make a deep run in the Champions League under coach Okan Buruk, the latest additions came after Galatasaray acquired Portuguese winger Rafael Leao from Italian club AC Milan for a reported fee of 43 million euros ($47.5 million).
In another major deal finalized on Sept. 1, the club secured 22-year-old striker Deniz Gül from Portuguese side FC Porto. The Turkish international signed in a transfer valued at 10 million euros ($11 million), with up to 1 million euros in performance-based add-ons.
The late additions follow the mid-August arrival of 21-year-old Russian playmaker Aleksey Batrakov, who joined from Lokomotiv Moscow for 25 million euros ($27.6 million), alongside defensive midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu on loan.
The new-look squad follows a broader summer overhaul that previously saw high-profile departures, including veterans Mauro Icardi and Wilfried Zaha. Galatasaray resumes its domestic campaign against Başakşehir on Sept. 4 weekend before turning its focus toward its opening match in the Champions League at Sporting Lisbon on Sept. 9.
