Mo Elneny is leaving Arsenal but he and Aston Villa’s Premier League misfit Trezeguet missed out on a January move to Galatasaray, as reported by EnsonHaber.
Arguably the biggest club in Turkish football missed out on the Super Lig title by just a single goal in 2020/21.
Now, if you’re straining for positives, at least Galatasaray supporters could rest their weary hearts this time around.
Because the Istanbul-based giants never came close to entering the title picture in 2021/22. Trabzonspor secured their first domestic title in nearly 40 years at the weekend, cruising 30 points clear of a Galatasaray side sitting closer to the relegation zone than they are the European positions.
Elneny and Trezeguet, then, may have few regrets about missing out on a move that would have been the footballing equivalent of buying a ticket for the Titanic. A sinking ship.
According to reports, the Arsenal midfielder and the Aston Villa winger agreed to join Galatasaray during the January transfer window. That was, however, until 68-year-old Terim – arguably the greatest Turkish manager of all time – was sacked just ten days into the New Year.
Former Manchester City assistant Domenec Torrent is currently at the helm.
And his debut season could end with Gala’s first bottom-half finish since 1982. Things may get worse before they get better, too, with The Athletic reporting that Galatasaray’s debt was valued at around £400 million not so long ago.
Is Mo Elneny leaving Arsenal?
Elneny would end up staying with Arsenal. Mikel Arteta refused the departure of a man who, while far from a regular starter, remains a reliable back-up.
“Why did the transfer fail? (Because) Arsenal didn’t want to let Mohamed go,” Elneny’s agent, William D’Avila, admitted a couple of weeks ago.
Elneny will still leave in the summer with his contract expiring in July.
Aston Villa loanee Trezeguet can’t stop scoring
Trezeguet, meanwhile, held talks over a move that would have seen the long-time Gala target finally join a club who tried to sign him before his £9 million move to Villa Park in the summer of 2019.
Terim’s sudden departure, however, opened the door for Super Lig rivals Istanbul Basaksehir to snatch the Egypt international from under Galatasaray’s nose.
Just to rub salt in the wounds, Trezeguet has produced ten goals and assists in ten Super Lig games for Istanbul BB.
Trezeguet, like Elneny, is likely to depart when the transfer window opens again. Especially if Philippe Coutinho stays at Villa Park.
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