The Turkish Süper Lig has competed with Europe's major leagues in the summer transfer market, following massive spending in what can be described as an exceptional season, marked by the signing of Mohamed Salah, former star of the Egyptian national team and Liverpool.
The 20 clubs in the English Premier League spent around €4.1 billion (£3.5 billion - $4.8 billion) from the official start of the transfer window on June 15 until the deadline.
According to "Transfermarkt," the collective net spending of these clubs amounted to just over €1.5 billion, significantly ahead of the second-ranked league, Italy's Serie A, whose clubs recorded a net spend of €421 million.
However, the biggest surprise might be that the next European country on the list, with a collective net spend of €276.5 million, is Turkey.
The Turkish Süper Lig ranks ninth in the UEFA coefficient list, behind the leagues of Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands, and holds only a slight lead over the Polish league.
The Turkish League Competes with European Clubs
Fenerbahçe stands as the highest-ranked Turkish club at position 27, followed by Galatasaray at 46, while Beşiktaş ranks 151st.
The summer transfer window in the Turkish league was exceptional, as three of the top five most expensive deals in Turkish club history were completed this summer: Galatasaray signed Rafael Leão for €38 million, Fenerbahçe spent €39 million to acquire Mason Greenwood, and Beşiktaş turned Orkun Kökçü's loan from Benfica into a permanent deal for €30 million.
How Did the Turkish League Attract Stars?
It began in July when Beşiktaş successfully completed a major deal by signing Leandro Trossard from Arsenal, shortly after he won the Premier League title and played a key role in the Champions League final.
A few weeks later, Beşiktaş also signed Dušan Vlahović on a free transfer following his departure from Juventus, while Fenerbahçe entered the fray by acquiring Nathan Aké from Manchester City and Mason Greenwood from Marseille.
Later in the transfer window, Fenerbahçe secured another major deal by signing Romelu Lukaku from Napoli for just €6 million. Lukaku, Aké, and Greenwood joined a squad that already included Ederson, Mattéo Guendouzi, Marco Asensio, N'Golo Kanté, Nelson Semedo, and Milan Škriniar.
In the final week of August, Galatasaray made its own splash by signing Leão from AC Milan, outbidding Aston Villa's interest in the Portuguese winger. The club had previously signed Victor Osimhen from Napoli last summer for €75 million.
Meanwhile, Trabzonspor secured Mohamed Salah, who had been in negotiations with Beşiktaş. The Egyptian national team captain signed a two-year contract with a salary of approximately €17 million and will also receive around 20% of the revenue from jersey sales bearing his name and number.
A few weeks after Salah's arrival, Doğan, president of Trabzonspor, announced the signing of Salah's former Liverpool teammate Fabinho, who had recently left Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
The Turkish League in Previous Transfer Windows
This is not the first time the Turkish league has attracted stars; in the past, players like Didier Drogba, Robin van Persie, Roberto Carlos, and Nicolas Anelka moved to Turkey.
However, over several years, the allure of stars signing in Turkey diminished, though recent periods have seen a resurgence: Fenerbahçe signed Mesut Özil, while Edin Džeko and Leonardo Bonucci joined briefly.
For Galatasaray, İlkay Gündoğan represented a signing similar to what Özil meant for Fenerbahçe, and the club also acquired Leroy Sané.
How Can Clubs Afford These Expenses?
The Athletic network used Galatasaray as an example to explain how Turkish clubs manage such expenditures. The club benefited enormously from a real estate deal several years ago when it sold land in Florya, outside central Istanbul—a desirable area where its old training stadium was located—for €500 million.
Clubs also generated significant revenue from player sales. For instance, Fenerbahçe resold striker Sadık Çiftpınar this summer after converting his loan from Angers during the winter window into a permanent deal, before selling him to Coventry City in the Championship.
Trabzonspor profited from midfielder Kristian Einau Olay, whom they sold to Fiorentina for €26 million just one year after acquiring him for under €10 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Additionally, Trabzonspor sold striker Felipe Augusto to Zenit Saint Petersburg for €15 million, one year after purchasing him for slightly under €7 million.
