Dursun Özbek pushes back on transfer criticism at the General Assembly
According to statements carried by the press, Dursun Özbek responded to criticism of Galatasaray's transfer planning at the club's General Assembly, saying the decisive criterion is the benefit a signing brings to the club.
Galatasaray Sports Club held its July ordinary General Assembly on Wednesday 29 July 2026 at the Özhan Canaydın Conference Hall of the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex RAMS Park. In his presentation on the work ahead, president Dursun Özbek set out the club's transfer planning and its ongoing projects.
According to statements carried by the press, Özbek responded to criticism of the transfer work by saying: "What matters to us is not the day a transfer is announced." He said the decisive criterion was the benefit a signing would bring to Galatasaray, and that squad planning was proceeding on the basis of assessments made with the coaching staff, the scouting team and the board.
Özbek also stressed that player selection had to protect the club's financial balance as much as it met the team's needs. He said he would not sign a contract that brought no sporting benefit to Galatasaray and would create financial difficulty in the long term.
Responding to commentary linking the Aslantepe project to the transfer budget, Özbek said: "This project has not the slightest connection with the transfers we will make for the football team." He said the financing model for the project had been determined and that the first phase comprised the administrative building and the basketball arena.
The agenda of the 29 July meeting was published on Galatasaray Sports Club's official website. The full video recording of the meeting was shared publicly on the club's official YouTube channel.