10 perfect Turkish Super Lig signings from summer 2024: Batshuayi, Savic, Immobile…

Jose Mourinho isn’t the only exciting new addition to the Turkish Super Lig this summer, with an array of new signings set to light up one of European football’s most entertaining leagues in 2024-25.

The Turkish top flight has a well-earned reputation for signing familiar faces that used to play in the Premier League as they approach their advancing years. They haven’t let us down so far this summer. Some of these are just so Turkish Super Lig.

Without further ado, here are 10 of our favourite Turkish Super Lig signings of this transfer window.

Gabriel Sara

Galatasaray’s club-record signing at €18million, the reigning Turkish Super Lig champions have already reinvested a large proportion of the money they received from Bayern Munich for Sascha Boey back in January – at €30million the Super Lig’s all-time most expensive export.

Brazilian playmaker Sara was among the Championship’s standout players last season at Norwich City.

He had been linked with a move to second-tier rivals Leeds United but has instead moved to Istanbul. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares in the pressure-cooker environment.

Michy Batshuayi

“Batshuayi? Hasn’t he played in Turkey for years?” we hear you ask. Yes, you’re right.

After a loan to Besiktas in 2021-22, the Belgian forward has spent the last two years at Fenerbahce, where he notched 44 goals in 75 appearances.

Now he’s completed the set of Turkey’s ‘Big Three’, having joined Galatasaray on a free transfer. Galatasaray beat Fenerbahce to the Turkish Super Lig title by a fine margins last season, notching 102 points to their eternal rivals’ tally of 99.

Expect extra sparks in the intercontinental derbies this season. Batshuayi has already scored on his Super Lig debut for his new club and returns to Fenerbahce in mid-September. Stick the date in your diaries.

Stefan Savic

The Montenegrin defender’s time at Manchester City was as brief as it was forgettable, but he went on to enjoy a real resurgence at Atletico Madrid.

He spent nine years with the Spanish giants, for whom he made almost 300 appearances, won La Liga and Europa League titles and started in a Champions League final.

Now 33 and into his twilight years, he takes on a new challenge at… Trabzonspor. Why not?

Fellow Atleti defender Caglar Soyuncu has also left for the Turkish Super Lig, joining Fenerbahce in a permanent deal after doing alright on loan in the latter half of last season.

Youssef En-Nesyri

Morocco international En-Nesyri joins Mourinho’s Fenerbahce with big expectations. Not only is he Fenerbahce’s record signing, but it’s also the most expensive signing in Turkish Super Lig history – at a reported fee of €19.5million from Sevilla.

The 27-year-old scored 51 La Liga goals in 143 appearances across four seasons with the Rojiblancos, which saw him win two Europa League titles.

Mourinho will be dreaming of En-Nesyri firing Fenerbahce to a historic European title, but they’ll need to drop out of the Champions League for any realistic chance of that.

Allan Saint-Maximin

The flamboyant French winger to Fenerbahce is one you’re probably aware of.

Mourinho hasn’t been averse to working with flair players in the past, but Saint-Maximin represents a particularly ostentatious addition at Fenerbahce. He’s currently on loan from Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli.

Whatever happens, it’s not going to be boring.

READ: Six star players who have already left the Saudi Pro League in 2024

John Lundstram

Joining Borna Barisic from Rangers, one-time FPL hero Lundstram has signed for Trabzonspor.

“I have Borna to thank. When he got the call about Trabzonspor, he also said the manager really likes me and the club would like to sign me,” the 30-year-old Liverpudlian told the Turkish outlet A Spor after his customary airport mobbing.

“So I went home to speak to my wife and called my agent very fast to say let’s go.

“I’m a very good friend with [Rangers left-back] Ridvan Yilmaz, so we spoke a lot about Turkey even before the interest from Trabzonspor.

“I wanted to know about the culture, about Besiktas and what the fans are like, because I hear that you guys are quite crazy.

“And, when I heard from Trabzonspor, I asked Ridvan and he said I’d love the club. So I was very comfortable with the decision.”

READ NEXT: 9 ballers we can’t believe played in the Turkish Super Lig: Ribery, Van Persie…

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name the top 50 goalscorers across Europe’s major leagues since 2000?

Alex Pritchard

Lundstram isn’t the only unlikely Brit to elicit a giant “huh!?” from us after moving to Turkey.

Former Sunderland ‘Til I Die star Pritchard only joined Birmingham City back in January, reuniting with Tony Mowbray and signing a two-and-a-half-year deal.

But his time at St. Andrew’s was as short-lived as his old gaffer’s, and following their relegation to League One he joined Sivasspor for an undisclosed fee.

We just scoured the Sivasspor squad in the hope of finding some fun ex-Premier League journeymen, but it’s disappointingly lacking on that front. Pritchard joins a side largely made up of Turkish players and relative unknowns from overseas.

Ciro Immobile

Something of an enigma, Immobile has enjoyed a well-travelled career around some of European football’s big clubs alongside a long, settled and wildly prolific stint at Lazio.

The 34-year-old striker has flattered to deceive for the Azzurri while notching bags of goals in Serie A, boasting more goals in Europe’s major leagues in the 21st century than the likes of Fernando Torres, David Villa and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

He also broke Messi and Ronaldo’s duopoly on the European Golden Shoe, claiming an award that greats like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sergio Aguero and Karim Benzema never got their hands on.

We expect his move to Besiktas to go one of two ways. Either he scores 35 Super Lig goals to transform them into title challengers this season, or he bags about three before signing on loan for Torino in January. Immobile doesn’t seem to do things by half.

Gabriel Paulista

Simeone is not messing about this summer. After waving off Soyuncu and Savic, ex-Arsenal defender Gabriel – who only joined from Valencia in January – has also been shipped off to the Turkish Super Lig.

The centre-back joins Immobile at Besiktas. He basically meets every criteria for a classic Turkish Super Lig signing.

A Brazilian with zero international caps? Check. Big clubs on his CV? Check. Sort of glamorous but not really? Check. Exactly 33 years old? Check.

Too perfect.