Galatasaray made a dramatic last-minute push to sign Hakan Calhanoglu, with the Inter Milan star even willing to take a pay cut, but the Turkish giants saw their hopes dashed after being quoted €40-45m.
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk has revealed that the club came close to pulling off one of the shocks of the transfer window, only for their pursuit of Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu to collapse in the final stages.
Calhanoglu deal breaks down
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Galatasaray made a late attempt to sign the Turkish international last week. Buruk confirmed that Calhanoglu, a lifelong Galatasaray supporter, was prepared to lower his salary in order to make the move possible.
However, Inter stood firm, demanding a fee of around €40-45 million (£39m/$54m) — a price Galatasaray were unable to meet. Despite the player’s willingness to sacrifice financially, the Nerazzurri were unwilling to negotiate below their valuation.
He would have sacrificed his salary for us,” Buruk explained. “But Inter only wanted to sell if we offered a much higher price than normal. We made the attempt, but the deal was very difficult. Hakan also made sacrifices, but Inter didn’t want to let him go.”
Tensions and speculation
Calhanoglu’s future had been a subject of speculation all summer, with both Galatasaray and rivals Fenerbahce monitoring his situation. The uncertainty followed a testing period for the 31-year-old, which included an injury setback at the Club World Cup and a much-publicised dispute with club captain Lautaro Martinez.
Despite the rumours, Calhanoglu has remained professional and recently reiterated his commitment to Inter. His importance in Simone Inzaghi’s system has also been underlined by Inter’s reluctance to even entertain Galatasaray’s advances.
What next for Calhanoglu and Inter?
With the transfer window now shut, Calhanoglu will remain at San Siro and focus on helping Inter in their Serie A title challenge. The midfielder is expected to be a central figure for Cristian Chivu’s side as they look to defend their domestic crown and push deep into the Champions League.
Inter’s next fixture is a huge Serie A showdown against Juventus on Saturday, September 13, where Calhanoglu’s leadership and playmaking ability will again be crucial.
