Fenerbahçe presidential candidate's claim on Çalhanoğlu deal surfaces

Former Fenerbahçe presidential candidate Hakan Safi claimed he had agreed a deal for Hakan Çalhanoğlu before losing the June election, a move that was subsequently cancelled as the club focuses on its current 6th-place Süper Lig standing.

Former Fenerbahçe SK presidential candidate Hakan Safi claimed he had secured an agreement with star midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu before the club's leadership election. The potential transfer was cancelled after Safi lost the June 2026 election.

Hakan Safi stated he "had announced an agreement with the national star." Çalhanoğlu's contract with Inter Milan expires at the end of the season, and his current market value is 16 million euros. Reports from Italy indicated Juventus held preliminary talks for the player, considering him an option should his renewal talks with Inter fail in January.

Galatasaray also showed interest in Çalhanoğlu but did not submit a concrete offer. Both eternal rivals made five signings each during the summer transfer window to strengthen their squads.

Amid these off-field claims, Fenerbahçe's focus remains on the pitch, where they sit 6th in the Süper Lig with 10 points. Their form over the last five matches reads WDDLW, two wins, two draws, and one loss. In their previous match, an 8-0 victory over Eyüpspor, Vedat Muriqi scored four goals, taking his season tally to six. The team's next league fixture is away to 9th-placed Rizespor on October 10, 2026.

This story first appeared at Fotomac