Sports
Galatasaray sign Russian wunderkind Batrakov from Lokomotiv Moscow
Galatasaray have signed Russian attacking midfielder Aleksey Batrakov from Lokomotiv Moscow on a five-year contract, adding one of Russia’s most promising young players to the Turkish champions’ squad.
The Istanbul club will pay Lokomotiv 25 million euros ($29.19 million) for the 21-year-old, while the Russian club will also receive 15% of the profit from Batrakov’s next transfer. Batrakov will earn a guaranteed net salary of 3.25 million euros per season under a contract running through the 2030-31 campaign.
The move makes Batrakov the first Russian player in Galatasaray’s 121-year history and the 218th foreign footballer to represent the club since the Turkish top flight began in 1959.
Galatasaray had previously signed players from 54 countries across six continents, with Brazil accounting for the largest share. The club has brought in 25 Brazilian players, followed by 16 from the former Yugoslavia and 15 from Romania.
Batrakov’s arrival marks a notable new chapter in that history as Galatasaray add their first Russian player to a squad strengthened during an ambitious summer transfer window.
A product of Lokomotiv Moscow’s academy, Batrakov emerged as one of the standout young players in Russian football. He can operate as a No. 10 or on the right wing and enjoyed a breakthrough 2025-26 campaign, scoring 17 goals in 36 appearances across the Russian Premier League and Russian Cup. Anadolu Agency reported that he also contributed nine assists in the league last season.
He began the new season with one goal and one assist in five appearances before completing his move to Istanbul.
Batrakov also has established himself with the Russian national team. He made his senior debut against Brunei on Nov. 15, 2024, scoring in his first appearance. He has since earned 12 international caps and scored four goals, according to Anadolu Agency’s report.
The transfer represents Batrakov’s first move outside Russia and a major step in his development. He arrived in Istanbul on Thursday and was greeted by Galatasaray officials and supporters after landing at Ataturk Airport with his family.
Speaking after his arrival, Batrakov said he was excited about beginning the next stage of his career and was eager to experience Galatasaray’s renowned support.
“This is an exciting process for me. It will be my first experience abroad. I hope everything will be very good for me and the club,” Batrakov said.
He added that Galatasaray supporters are known as some of the most passionate fans in Europe and said he wanted to get on the field and meet them as soon as possible.
The deal was subsequently formalized, with Galatasaray notifying the Public Disclosure Platform that it would pay Lokomotiv 25 million euros and give the Russian club 15% of any profit from Batrakov’s next transfer. The club also confirmed the five-year contract and his annual net salary of 3.25 million euros.
Batrakov joins Galatasaray after the club also added French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu during the summer window, as the reigning Turkish champions continue to build a squad capable of competing domestically and in Europe.
The Turkish Süper Lig has become one of the biggest stories of the 2026 summer transfer window, with established stars choosing Türkiye despite Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer remaining among football’s most lucrative destinations.
Mohamed Salah, Romelu Lukaku, Mason Greenwood and Leandro Trossard headline the arrivals, while Fenerbahçe have also signed Manchester City defender Nathan Ake.
Salah’s move to Trabzonspor is the clearest example. The 34-year-old Egyptian captain left Liverpool after nine seasons and joined as a free agent on a two-year contract.
Trabzonspor disclosed a guaranteed package of 17 million euros ($19.9 million) per season, including a 10 million euros salary and 7 million euros annual signing payment, plus bonuses and 20% of revenue from products sold under his name.
Fenerbahçe have been even more aggressive. The Istanbul club signed Greenwood from Marseille for 39 million euros, payable in three installments over three years. The 24-year-old agreed to a four-year contract after scoring 37 league goals in two seasons in France.
Lukaku followed from Napoli on a one-year deal with an option for another season. The fee was undisclosed, although reports put it at about 6 million euros plus bonuses. Beşiktaş then added Trossard from Arsenal for a reported 18 million euros.
Together, the moves make the Süper Lig look like football’s latest destination for major stars.
But the boom is concentrated around Türkiye’s traditional four biggest clubs: Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor.
They are not simply collecting famous players. They are chasing the Süper Lig title, European qualification and deeper runs in UEFA competitions.
Galatasaray are defending four consecutive championships, while Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor are spending heavily to close the gap.
The spending is striking because of the clubs’ financial situation.
Türkiye’s four major clubs carried combined debt of about 85 billion Turkish lira as of May 31, 2026, equivalent to roughly 1.6 billion euros at late-July exchange rates.
Their combined operating losses were about 24 billion lira, with Galatasaray the only one to record a net profit, according to financial statements filed through the Public Disclosure Platform.
Currency also matters.
Clubs with largely lira-based costs can benefit when they generate significant euro income through UEFA competitions and international commercial agreements. A weak lira can make those revenues more valuable against domestic expenses.
Türkiye’s biggest advantage over Saudi Arabia and MLS, however, is European football.
Saudi clubs can often offer more money, while MLS provides substantial salaries and a different lifestyle. Neither offers UEFA competition.
Türkiye does.
For the 2026-27 season, Galatasaray earned a direct Champions League league-phase place as Turkish champion. Fenerbahçe entered Champions League qualifying, while Trabzonspor reached the Europa League playoff round after winning the Turkish Cup. Beşiktaş also entered the Europa League qualifying path.
For players who still want to compete on Europe’s biggest club stage, that matters.
Türkiye’s biggest clubs also have some of Europe’s most intense supporter cultures. Packed stadiums, enormous expectations and fierce rivalries create an environment familiar to players who have spent their careers at major European clubs.
More than 20,000 Beşiktaş supporters attended Trossard’s signing ceremony at Tüpraş Stadium, underlining the attention generated by a marquee arrival.
Türkiye has also built a reputation as a place where established stars can revive or extend their careers. Gheorghe Hagi, Wesley Sneijder, Didier Drogba and Robin van Persie helped establish that tradition, while Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane have more recently shown the league can attract players still capable of performing at the highest level.
The current wave is different because the arrivals are not all near retirement.
Greenwood is 24, Trossard is 31, Lukaku is 33 and Salah is 34. They have different motivations. Greenwood sees Fenerbahçe as a platform for the next stage of his career. Lukaku is looking to regain momentum after an injury-hit season. Trossard left a Premier League champion while still capable of making an impact. Salah has chosen a new challenge without leaving European football.
So why does it feel like everyone is going to Türkiye?
Because the biggest clubs are making major moves at the same time.
Fenerbahçe have Greenwood, Lukaku and Ake. Beşiktaş have Trossard. Trabzonspor have Salah, while Galatasaray remain the domestic powerhouse and continue to build for Europe.
It is not everyone, though. It is mainly four ambitious clubs pursuing the same prizes: the Süper Lig title, Champions League access and European success.
That gives Türkiye a rare middle ground. Saudi Arabia can offer extraordinary money, but not UEFA competition. MLS offers money and lifestyle, but not Champions League nights in Europe. Türkiye can offer major salaries, enormous crowds and a route to European football.
The financial model remains the biggest question. The four giants carry enormous debts and operating losses, and there is no guarantee their spending will produce the European success needed to justify it.
For now, however, Türkiye has found a powerful recruitment formula: serious money, serious football and the chance to compete on Europe’s biggest stage.
Former Brazil star Ronaldinho announced Thursday he was making a comeback 11 years later with Italian third-division side Ravenna to try and score “a 300th goal.”
The 46-year-old, who won the World Cup in 2002 and the Ballon d’Or in 2005, ended a glittering career in September 2015 when he played his last official match with Brazilian club Fluminense.
“I’m very happy to be here with friends, we have a team that can do something good,” said the former Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker on the sidelines of his presentation on a beach in Ravenna.
“Will you see me play? I don’t know, only the coach knows that. Coming back to Italy is wonderful, I’m here to help my teammates win.
“As you can see, I’m in shape, I feel good… If I could score my 300th goal, that would be even more beautiful.”
Ronaldinho’s comeback was announced in June on the sidelines of the World Cup in Miami by Ignazio Cipriani, an Italian-American businessman and owner of the club since 2024.
“His objective is romantic, to try to score his last goal,” said Cipriani on Thursday.
“His involvement is not a token gesture or a marketing stunt to get people talking about us.”
Cipriani added that Ronaldinho, who scored 33 goals in his 97 appearances for Brazil, would become a shareholder in the club and would not play against Reggiana on Monday in the Serie C season opener.
Ravenna finished third in Group B of last season’s third-division championship and are aiming for a return to Serie B, where they haven’t played since 2008.
Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos has denied widespread reports that he converted to Islam, saying he has the “utmost respect” for the religion but that claims he embraced it following his marriage to Moroccan football agent Souhaila El Tahiri are untrue.
The 53-year-old former Real Madrid and Brazil star addressed the rumors in comments to Saudi newspaper Okaz after the claims spread rapidly across social media and news outlets in several countries.
The speculation gained momentum after photographs from Carlos’ wedding circulated online, with some posts portraying the ceremony as evidence that he had converted to Islam.
Other widely shared images were presented as showing Carlos wearing Islamic attire, although a fact-check by Lebanon’s Annahar found that one such image was AI-generated.
How the conversion claim spread
The rumors emerged earlier this week after Turkish media reported that Carlos had allegedly embraced Islam and recited the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, during a meeting with Sheikh Jihad Hammadeh in Sao Paulo.
The claim was amplified by Turkish lawmaker Ali Şahin, who said on Monday that he had met Hammadeh during a visit to representatives of Brazil’s Muslim community.
According to Şahin, the sheikh told him that Carlos had been in contact with him for some time, had visited him about four weeks earlier and had recited the shahada before embracing Islam. Şahin then publicly congratulated Carlos.
The allegation quickly moved beyond Turkish-language media, spreading through Arabic, English and other language communities.
Social media posts often removed the original attribution or presented the claim as established fact, making it difficult for readers to distinguish between a reported allegation and a confirmed statement from Carlos.
The story also gained traction because of Carlos’ long-standing connection to Turkish football.
The former left back played for Fenerbahçe after joining the Istanbul club in 2007 and later had coaching roles in Türkiye, including with Sivasspor and Akhisar Belediyespor.
Wedding images fuel speculation
The timing of the rumors was closely linked to Carlos’ marriage to El Tahiri, a Moroccan football agent and businesswoman.
News of their relationship and marriage had already emerged earlier in 2026, while photographs from a private wedding celebration later circulated widely online.
The ceremony included elements associated with Islamic and Moroccan traditions, including the presence of a Muslim religious figure and traditional attire.
Those images were quickly interpreted by some social media users as proof that Carlos had converted.
But the photographs did not establish a change in Carlos’ religion. A fact-check published by Annahar found no reliable evidence supporting claims attached to an image that allegedly showed Carlos in Islamic clothing and determined that the image had been generated using artificial intelligence.
The presence of an Islamic ceremony also did not, by itself, establish that Carlos had converted. Reports said the couple incorporated different traditions into their wedding to accommodate the religious backgrounds of their families and guests.
Carlos directly rejects the claims
Carlos has now directly addressed the speculation.
“I have the utmost respect for Islam and it’s wonderful to see my wife praying, but the rumors circulating about me converting to Islam are untrue,” Carlos said, according to Okaz and reports from Saudi Gazette and other outlets.
He also explained that the wedding celebrations were organized in different forms to respect the beliefs of both families.
Carlos said his Catholic family members were accommodated through ceremonies consistent with their beliefs, while ceremonies appropriate for his wife and her Muslim friends and relatives were also held.
His explanation directly challenges the interpretation that the Islamic elements of the wedding represented his own conversion.
Carlos further indicated that he respects different religions and has been learning about other faiths, while making clear that he had not converted to Islam.
He also suggested that if he ever made such a decision, he would announce it himself.
Max Verstappen has ended months of speculation over his Formula One future by signing a contract extension with Red Bull that will keep him with the team through 2030.
The four-time world champion’s future had become one of the biggest storylines of the season as Red Bull struggled for consistency and Verstappen voiced concerns about Formula One’s new technical regulations.
He had been linked with potential moves to Mercedes and McLaren and had even suggested he could consider leaving the sport.
Those questions have now been settled, at least for the foreseeable future.
Verstappen, 28, announced the extension Thursday ahead of his home Dutch Grand Prix this weekend. His previous contract was due to run through 2028 but contained performance-related clauses that could have provided an exit if Red Bull failed to deliver a competitive car.
Dutch media had reported that those clauses could have been triggered this season, adding to speculation that Verstappen could seek a move elsewhere.
Instead, he has chosen to remain with the team that has been central to his career.
“I am really pleased with the contract extension,” Verstappen said in a Red Bull statement. “We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again. This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue.”
Verstappen joined Red Bull’s junior program in 2014 before making his F1 debut with Toro Rosso the following year. He moved to Red Bull Racing during the 2016 season and won his first race for the team at the Spanish Grand Prix.
All four of his world championships have come with Red Bull.
“I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home,” Verstappen said. “I came to the team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely and we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships.
“To continue this journey with the same team that I have been with my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do.”
A season that fueled uncertainty
The decision comes at a difficult point in Red Bull’s competitive cycle.
Verstappen narrowly missed out on a fifth consecutive championship last season after losing the title to Lando Norris at the final race. This season, he is still searching for his first victory and sits sixth in the drivers’ standings, 110 points behind Mercedes driver and championship leader Kimi Antonelli after 11 races.
Red Bull are fourth in the constructors’ standings, adding to concerns about whether the team can provide Verstappen with a car capable of challenging for championships under Formula One’s latest rules.
The new regulations have also frustrated Verstappen. The power units now place a much greater emphasis on electric power, with electrical and internal combustion engine components accounting for roughly equal shares of the system.
The Dutchman has been among the sport’s most outspoken critics of the changes and previously left open the possibility of walking away from Formula One altogether.
His new contract provides a clear answer to those doubts.
Mercedes and McLaren links fade
Verstappen’s uncertain future had made him one of the most sought-after drivers on the grid.
Mercedes were repeatedly linked with a move for the Dutchman as the team emerged as one of the leading forces under the new regulations. McLaren were also mentioned as a possible destination, particularly after reports that Verstappen’s longtime race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, is set to join the team by 2028 at the latest.
For Red Bull, retaining Verstappen removes one of the biggest uncertainties surrounding the team’s future.
Team principal Laurent Mekies said keeping the Dutchman was significant not only for Red Bull but for Formula One as a whole.
“Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull, Oracle Red Bull Racing, as well as F1 and motorsport as a whole,” Mekies said.
He added that the decision was built on the relationship developed between Verstappen and the team over more than a decade.
“Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Oracle Red Bull Racing special: uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention,” Mekies said.
“His impact on our team and on Red Bull’s motorsport story has been transformational, and he has been fundamental to everything we have accomplished together.
“But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to achieve and more history to write.”
The 955th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert will be marked with a four-day program combining historical remembrance, culture and traditional Turkish sports in Ahlat and Malazgirt.
The 10th edition of the “Anatolia’s Conquest: Manzikert 1071 Commemoration Program,” organized by the Archers Foundation under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, will be held Aug. 23-26.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to attend the main commemorative events.
The program will bring athletes, cultural groups and visitors together at locations closely associated with the Seljuk victory over the Byzantine Empire in 1071.
Alongside ceremonies commemorating Sultan Alp Arslan and the battle, the event will feature national championships in traditional archery, mounted archery and kökbörü.
A turning point in Anatolian history
The Battle of Manzikert was fought Aug. 26, 1071, near modern-day Malazgirt in Muş between the Byzantine army led by Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes and the Seljuk forces commanded by Sultan Alp Arslan.
Romanos had launched a major campaign into eastern Anatolia in an effort to strengthen Byzantine control of the empire’s frontier and curb Seljuk raids. His army, which included Byzantine troops and foreign mercenaries, captured Manzikert before the emperor divided his forces and sent part of the army toward Ahlat.
Alp Arslan quickly redirected his forces and confronted the Byzantine army.
The Seljuks secured a decisive victory. Romanos was wounded and captured, becoming the first Byzantine emperor to be taken prisoner by a Muslim commander in centuries.
Historical accounts indicate that Alp Arslan treated the defeated emperor with considerable respect. The two sides reached terms that included a ransom, tribute and territorial concessions before Romanos was released.
The battle’s immediate military casualties were not necessarily catastrophic by the standards of medieval warfare, but its political consequences were far-reaching.
Romanos was later deposed, and the Byzantine Empire was plunged into internal conflict.
The resulting instability weakened Byzantine control across Anatolia and helped create conditions for increased Turkic migration and settlement.
For Turkish historical memory, Manzikert represents a defining moment in the opening of Anatolia to Turkish settlement and is widely remembered as the beginning of a process that would transform the region.
That historical significance is central to the annual commemorations, which are held at or near the sites associated with the battle.
Archery competition returns to Malazgirt
Traditional archery will take center stage in Malazgirt on Aug. 23-24 with the “955th Year Sultan Alp Arslan Open-Air Special Puta Koşusu,” organized by the Türkiye Traditional Turkish Archery Federation.
Archers from across Türkiye will compete in the event on the historic ground where Alp Arslan’s campaign unfolded nearly a millennium ago.
The competition is intended not only as a sporting event but also as a way to keep traditional archery alive. The discipline has deep roots in Turkish military and cultural history, and organizers are using the anniversary program to connect contemporary athletes with that heritage.
National title
Malazgirt will also host the finals of the TGASDF 2026 Türkiye Mounted Archery Championship on Aug. 24-25.
Organized by the Türkiye Traditional Equestrian Sports Branches Federation, the competition will determine the national champion in one of the most visually distinctive traditional equestrian disciplines.
Riders will combine speed, balance and precision as they fire arrows while moving on horseback, recreating skills historically associated with mounted warfare and Turkic equestrian culture.
The championship is expected to attract competitors from different parts of Türkiye, giving spectators an opportunity to see a traditional discipline performed at a national competitive level.
Kökbörü final comes to Ahlat
Ahlat will host the 2026 TGASDF Kökbörü League Final on Aug. 23-24.
Kökbörü is a traditional Central Asian equestrian game related to buzkashi in which teams compete while carrying a weighted object traditionally associated with a goat carcass. The fast-paced sport has long been part of the equestrian traditions of Central Asian peoples.
Teams from different regions of Türkiye will compete in Ahlat, bringing another major traditional sport into the anniversary celebrations.
The event will provide a particularly strong cultural dimension to the program, showcasing an equestrian tradition that has survived through generations and remains part of Türkiye’s efforts to preserve traditional sports.
History and living tradition
The 2026 program is designed to make the Manzikert anniversary more than a historical commemoration.
By staging national championships at locations associated with the Seljuk victory, organizers are bringing traditional sports into the center of the celebrations and presenting them as living elements of cultural heritage.
The events in Ahlat and Malazgirt will include traditional sports activities, cultural presentations and displays designed to reflect Turkic history and heritage.
The program will begin Aug. 23 and continue through Aug. 26, with major commemorative ceremonies expected to culminate with Erdoğan’s participation.
Beşiktaş welcome Kauno Zalgiris to Tüpraş Stadyumu on Thursday for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League playoff, with a place in the competition’s league phase at stake.
The Turkish side enter the tie as clear favorites and will look to build a decisive advantage before the return match in Kaunas on Aug. 27. The clubs are meeting for the first time in European competition, with Beşiktaş bringing greater experience, squad depth and attacking quality into the matchup.
Beşiktaş reached the playoff round after edging Hradec Kralove 1-0 in the second leg, with Vaclav Cerny’s goal securing a 2-0 aggregate victory. The result also extended their impressive defensive run in Europe, with the Black Eagles recording four straight clean sheets in qualifying.
Vincenzo Italiano’s team have also made a solid start to the Turkish Super Lig season. Beşiktaş opened their domestic campaign with a 1-0 victory over Eyüpspor after finishing third last season.
Italiano has quickly placed an emphasis on defensive organization, while the club have backed him with an ambitious summer recruitment campaign. Alexander Nubel, Kassoum Ouattara, Leandro Trossard and Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic are among the notable additions as Beşiktaş look to close the gap on the leading clubs in Türkiye.
With home advantage and a significant edge in individual quality, Beşiktaş will expect to control the first leg and put themselves in a strong position before traveling to Lithuania.
Kauno Zalgiris arrive in Istanbul with a very different European experience behind them.
The Lithuanian champions were knocked out of Champions League qualifying by Dinamo Zagreb after a 7-1 aggregate defeat. They suffered a 5-0 loss in Croatia before falling 2-1 at home in the return leg.
Zeljko Sopic’s team did show resilience between those matches, beating Hegelmann 2-0, and they followed that result with a 1-1 draw against Transinvest in their latest outing. Those results have kept Kauno Zalgiris firmly in the A Lyga title race, with the club sitting second, just one point behind the leaders.
Their European campaign began with victories over Drita and KI Klaksvik in Champions League qualifying, but the two matches against Dinamo exposed the difference between Kauno Zalgiris and higher-level opposition.
Sopic will therefore demand a far more disciplined performance in Istanbul. His players will need to limit mistakes, remain compact and frustrate Beşiktaş if they are to avoid another difficult night in Europe.
Beşiktaş have no fresh injury concerns following their win over Eyüpspor, giving Italiano the flexibility to rotate his lineup while introducing some of his summer signings to competitive action.
Ouattara is available again after completing his suspension following his red card in the first leg against Hradec Kralove.
Emmanuel Agbadou and Tiago Djalo are expected to continue at the heart of the defense, while Salih Özcan appears to have moved ahead of Wilfred Ndidi in the defensive midfield battle.
That combination should allow Italiano to preserve the compact structure that has been central to Beşiktaş’s strong start in European qualifying. Four consecutive clean sheets have provided a solid foundation, but the Turkish side will now be looking to add more attacking authority to their defensive stability.
Kauno Zalgiris have no major fitness problems either, although Sopic could alter his defensive setup after the struggles against Dinamo Zagreb.
Amine Benchaib has been one of the Lithuanian side’s most influential players this season and is expected to retain his place on the wing, while Renan Oliveira should lead the attack.
-
Economy2 days agoPutin orders government to help rebuild destroyed Wildberries warehouses
-
Economy2 days agoTürkiye’s unemployment rate falls to record low of 7.9% in Q2
-
Economy3 days agoLed by ex-Ferrari designer, Türkiye’s 2nd homegrown carmaker nears debut
-
Politics3 days agoErdoğan congratulates UK PM Burnham, vows deeper Türkiye-UK ties
-
Politics3 days agoTurkish NGOs join Gaza aid campaign across 5 continents
-
Economy2 days agoUAE halts all trade, financial activity with Iran: Report
-
Economy2 days agoMost Americans alter routines as fuel shock changes daily life: Survey
-
Politics1 day agoAnkara reaffirms support for TRNC as cooperation deal advances