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Dursun Özbek says Galatasaray has no communication problem with Okan Buruk
Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek said there was no communication problem between head coach Okan Buruk and the club’s management at a sponsorship meeting at RAMS Park. Özbek said Wilfried Singo had no serious injury and that the club aimed to increase sponsorship revenue to €110–120 million this season.
Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek answered questions from reporters at a sponsorship meeting held at RAMS Park with the 1905 Galatasaray Executives and Businesspeople Association (GSYİAD). Özbek said there was no communication problem between head coach Okan Buruk and the Galatasaray management.
Özbek said Okan Buruk had come through Galatasaray’s youth system, been selected for the national team and represented Turkish football abroad, adding that the head coach had carried out successful work recently. Özbek said they had won the championship in each of the last four seasons under Buruk and were progressing with the aim of winning a fifth title.
Emphasizing the importance of harmony within the team for success, Özbek said the players liked Buruk. The Galatasaray president said the management was in constant communication with Buruk and noted that their cooperation was progressing well.
Özbek discusses transfers and financial structure
Özbek also responded to criticism directed at the Galatasaray management during this season’s transfer window, saying the club had no problems with payments to its players. He said transfer planning was carried out together with the technical staff and scouting team, adding that their priorities were to retain the squad that won the championship last season and reinforce the positions that needed strengthening.
Özbek said transfer negotiations were being conducted within the framework of the established budget and financial discipline. He explained that some players joined the squad toward the end of the transfer window as part of the club’s efforts to protect its budget, and said he believed the signings would contribute to Galatasaray’s goals for the season.
Özbek said they would discuss next season with Okan Buruk, whose contract expires at the end of the season, and that they did not want to disrupt stability. Saying that the Galatasaray management was united, Özbek expressed his desire for a successful season in football and amateur sports.
Broadcast rights tender and expectations for the new season
Özbek said Galatasaray was holding talks with the Turkish Football Federation regarding the broadcast rights tender and that the club was part of the commission. He said broadcast rights revenue remained low compared with other European leagues, adding that it accounted for 1–1.5 percent of Galatasaray’s budget.
Özbek said they expected the 2026–2027 season to be more difficult than previous periods. He said he had spoken with Fenerbahçe President Aziz Yıldırım at a promotional meeting for the 2027 Spanish Super Cup, adding that the championship race between the two clubs would remain competitive in the new season.
Recalling that Galatasaray would face Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on October 13, Özbek said the team had competed well against Europe’s top sides and that he expected a successful match against Barcelona. He said the decision regarding İlkay Gündoğan’s position within the team belonged to head coach Okan Buruk and that the technical staff’s choice should be respected.
Amateur sports and sponsorship target
Özbek said Galatasaray also attached importance to sports other than football, adding that the revenue generated by amateur sports could not be compared with football. He said amateur sports had benefited from withholding tax refunds provided in previous periods, but that this source had gradually declined, adding that they had raised the issue at a meeting with the President.
Özbek said they were ambitious in amateur sports this season and wanted to achieve success in Europe as well. He said Galatasaray aimed to raise its sponsorship revenue to €110–120 million during the season, adding that the club’s international recognition and global fan base represented significant value for global sponsors.
Özbek said facilities for sports other than football were being built next to Galatasaray’s stadium, adding that the sponsorship meeting was also important for supporting these projects.
Singo’s health and the RAMS Park pitch
Providing information about the health of Galatasaray’s Ivorian footballer Wilfried Singo, Özbek said the player had taken a knock in training but did not have a serious injury. Özbek said Singo would join the team shortly.
Özbek said work on the RAMS Park pitch was continuing, adding that seeding and fertilization had begun. He said work to renew the grass had been completed and that the pitch was planned to be ready as of October 5.
GSYİAD sponsors Galatasaray Women’s Volleyball Team
A sponsorship agreement was signed between Galatasaray and the 1905 GSYİAD as part of the meeting. Under the agreement, 1905 GSYİAD became the shirt-back sponsor of the Galatasaray Daikin Women’s Volleyball Team.
Along with Dursun Özbek, Galatasaray Vice President Mehmet Cibara and 1905 GSYİAD President Murat Sancaktar attended the ceremony. Özbek said GSYİAD had previously supported the men’s volleyball team as well, adding that sponsorships for amateur sports were important to the club’s sustainable structure.
Mehmet Cibara said GSYİAD was not merely a sponsor for Galatasaray but an organization that continuously supported the club. Cibara said the women’s volleyball team had adopted a different squad plan from last season and that no new outside hitter would be signed unless needed.
GSYİAD President Murat Sancaktar said the association was entering its 25th year and that it regarded standing by the club whenever Galatasaray needed it as a responsibility. Sancaktar said the women’s volleyball team would compete in the CEV Women’s Champions League and that they were targeting successful results in the Sultanlar League and European competition.
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