Aziz Yıldırım carried out an incredible operation between 7 June and 1 September! Around the world in 85 days

News summary

Despite the 10+4 rule tying his hands, the Fenerbahçe president put even more effort into clearing out 16 players from the squad than into signings. On top of that, he made five spot-on transfers.

News details

Fenerbahçe qualified for the Champions League after 18 years. A team was built that stands as one of the strongest contenders for the Süper Lig title. All of this was accomplished in 85 days. Elected on June 7, President Aziz Yıldırım and his team carried out a highly critical operation up until September 1. On one hand, the financial picture left by the previous board, and on the other, the TFF's 10+4 foreign player restriction, tied Yıldırım's hands.

In the transfer operation that started with Vedat Muriqi, Yıldırım brought in direct starting-XI players such as Greenwood, Ake, Lukaku, and Oppong. The board worked just as hard to clear out the existing squad as they did on incoming transfers. They parted ways with 16 players. The team's 10 foreign player quota was used on Ederson, Semedo, Skriniar, Ake, Kante, Guendouzi, Greenwood, Asensio, Muriqi, and Lukaku. The managerial crisis was another issue altogether.

The choice of İsmail Kartal was widely debated. The defeat against Gençlerbirliği and the draw against Lyon led to Kartal being questioned. Yıldırım expressed his confidence in Kartal and resolved this crisis as well. He also ensured that players suffering from confidence issues, such as Oğuz and Ederson, were reintegrated into the team. The Fenerbahçe management did its part. Now, the ball is in İsmail Kartal's and the players' court.

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Key information

• Related clubs: Fenerbahçe
• News type: Transfer
• Certainty: The source did not state the official status of the development.

Source

This news was compiled from information obtained from Sözcü (published: September 2, 2026 05:30).

Original news: Sözcü