Batrakov's Form Makes a Difference at Galatasaray

Galatasaray entered the international break after a 4-0 defeat against Trabzon. Ahead of a demanding October fixture list, the team's attacking power and resilience were being debated.

Signed from Lokomotiv Moscow for 25 million euros at the start of the season, Aleksey Batrakov changed the team's face after his adaptation period. Starting with the Kasımpaşa match on October 9, Galatasaray played eight matches and won seven of them. Their only defeat came against Barcelona.

Batrakov started all eight of these matches in the starting eleven. The player scored six goals, provided two assists, and caused an opponent to score an own goal. Galatasaray scored 14 goals in the seven matches before Batrakov's arrival, but found the net 21 times in these eight matches. In three Champions League matches against Barcelona, Lille and Stuttgart, the player scored four goals and drew Europe's attention.

Galatasaray's management wants to remove the 55 million euro release clause. The player's agent, Vladimir Kuzmichev, has been invited to Istanbul in this context. The plan is to raise Batrakov's annual salary from 3.25 million euros to 5 million euros and to remove the release clause.