Gheorghe Hagi to Mohamed Salah: Ranking the biggest signings in Super Lig history

[p]A global superstar and one of the greatest forwards of his generation, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salah-mohamed/08FBycgB/"]Salah[/a] has been welcomed to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/trabzonspor/MmsYDc03/"]Trabzon[/a] in some style, with some remarkable scenes at their stadium on Thursday.  [/p][p]It is a staggering deal for Trabzon, and the numbers involved are eyewatering. The 'Egyptian King' will now bring more eyes to the league and make the upcoming 2026/27 Super Lig campaign even more captivating.[/p][p]Before taking a deeper dive into the rankings, it is important to remember that these aren't the most expensive players in Super Lig history, nor are they based on their performance in Turkey. How big a name they were, whether they were past their prime when they arrived, and the shock factor are all key factors to weigh up.[/p][p][b]So who are the top five biggest signings in Super Lig history?[/b][/p][h2]5. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carlos-roberto/d8TGVCXK/"]Roberto Carlos[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fenerbahce/MsbmracL/"]Fenerbahce[/a])[/h2][image alt="Roberto Carlos at Fenerbahceq" id="53d402e2-1a26-4101-ab17-42f5f834865c" credit-line="JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT / EPA / Profimedia" guid="6a8341a3-7cfb-4d42-8c1f-701c741a1efa" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p]There is a bit of a gap between fifth place and the rest of the list, purely because the players in the top four came when they were still playing at an elite level.[/p][p]Arguably the greatest left back of all time, Roberto Carlos joined Fenerbahce in 2007 on a free transfer, after spending 12 years at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a]. The Brazilian is probably the biggest name ever to play in Turkey, and had won four LaLiga titles and three Champions League crowns while at Real Madrid.[/p][embed guid="593a709b-a0e4-45ab-bc8e-c3731717c180" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X60IWIY1ls" social-type="youtube" /][p]Despite Carlos having just turned 34 and being well past his prime, it still represented a hugely exciting signing for Fenerbahce. He had been close to joining [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a], but with that move breaking down, Fenerbahce swooped in.[/p][p]Carlos helped the club win the Turkish Super Cup and achieve their best European result by reaching the Champions League quarter-finals all in his debut season. Yet he couldn't get his hands on the Super Lig. [/p][p]He did score six goals over his two and a half seasons in Turkey, though, including four in the 2008/09 campaign, showing that there was still some life left in him.[/p][h2]4. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sneijder-wesley/Y3Pg11Dq/"]Wesley Sneijder[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/galatasaray/riaqqurF/"]Galatasaray[/a])[/h2][image alt="Wesley Sneijder at Galatasaray" id="4eb017f4-9dea-4c7d-a993-e7a4ed18c67b" credit-line="Depo Photos / Zuma Press / Profimedia" guid="aa39c1e2-8270-4757-ac10-3944877fc827" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p]Wesley Sneijder's move to Galatasaray in January 2013 was a seismic one in Turkish football, as it came with the Dutchman just 28 years old, and having won the Champions League with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a] while being a real contender for the Ballon d'Or just two and a half years prior.[/p][p]After falling out of favour at Inter and seeing a slight decline in form and ability, Sneijder joined the Istanbul side, drawing comparisons to another world-class Galatasaray playmaker higher up these rankings.[/p][p]The former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ajax/8UOvIwnb/"]Ajax[/a] and Real Madrid man took Galatasaray to another level. During his four and a half years, he scored 35 goals in 124 Super Lig games, capturing two league titles and three Turkish Cups. [/p][embed guid="042cf829-8b9d-45a3-8107-70556ba09552" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=litbdyiBvNY" social-type="youtube" /][p]He also guided them to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2012/13, getting on the scoresheet in a famous 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the second leg. His late winner against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/C06aJvIB/"]Juventus[/a] the following season also saw them qualify for the knockout stages.[/p][p]One of his biggest moments in a Galatasaray shirt came against Fenerbahce in 2014, when he bagged a pair of astonishing late long-range goals to sink their fierce rivals in the league. An all-time Super Lig great.[/p][h2]3. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salah-mohamed/08FBycgB/"]Mohamed Salah[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/trabzonspor/MmsYDc03/"]Trabzonspor[/a])[/h2][image alt="Mohamed Salah at Trabzonspor" id="d94921e6-12b4-43c0-8398-ba25dcfbf972" credit-line="ČTK / AP / Huseyin Yavuz" guid="26972e97-ca22-4db1-abfa-d5a0600e5863" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p]The latest of the mega signings to the Super Lig, Mohamed Salah signed for Trabzonspor this summer as a free agent, in a move that has the whole footballing world wondering what has gone on.[/p][p]Salah endured a tough 2025/26 season at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a], but the previous campaign saw him post historic numbers. He scored 29 goals and registered 18 assists, winning the PFA Player of the Year award as Liverpool won just their second Premier League trophy. [/p][p]One of the finest players English football has ever seen, Salah had a ridiculous 193 goals and 94 assists in 328 Premier League games, clinching the title twice to go alongside a Champions League triumph.[/p][p]Admittedly, at 34, Salah had a clear, sudden drop-off last season, and after falling out with manager Arne Slot, decided to seek a new challenge. While he wanted to stay in Europe, many expected him to remain in one of the top five leagues. However, no one could match his sky-high financial demands, and Trabzon somehow managed to pounce. [/p][embed guid="399438bd-a9fe-4be4-b980-e9568ebb87d6" url="https://x.com/Trabzonspor/status/2085416447753203901" social-type="twitter" /][p]Trabzon are the fourth-biggest club in Turkey behind Istanbul outfits Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/besiktas/IDmErJCR/"]Besiktas[/a], and traditionally struggle to attract the same calibre of player due to their smaller financial resources and location outside Istanbul.[/p][p]The seven-time Super Lig champions are known for signing young players, developing them, and selling them for a profit. Therefore, bringing in Salah represents a dramatic change of direction and the biggest signing in their history by a distance, and they will be hoping he can help them win a first title since 2022.[/p][h2]2. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hagi-gheorghe/4v9EM0Ct/"]Gheorghe Hagi[/a] (Galatasaray)[/h2][image alt="Gheorghe Hagi at Galatasaray" id="ff482610-549c-4ee2-ac6a-7af7630e18b2" credit-line="Photo by SCANPIX NORWAY / AFP" guid="dcf36ec1-f186-4a04-a043-37a17bf698e0" original-width="768" original-height="613" /][p]The first real blockbuster deal to ever happen in the country, the signing of Romanian football legend Gheorghe Hagi in 1996 was a total game-changer. For a Turkish side to lure a player of his stature directly from Barcelona was almost unheard of at the time.[/p][p]One of the world's best players during the late 80s and the majority of the 90s, Hagi had played for European heavyweights [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/steaua-bucuresti/UBkj02Q9/"]Steaua Bucuresti[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] and Real Madrid before moving to Galatasaray at 31 years old. A wonderful footballer with a wand of a left foot, he had garnered the nickname 'The Maradona of the Carpathians'.[/p][p]Despite his age, Hagi still had so much to offer, becoming part of the greatest team in Super Lig history. Seen by most as the league's best-ever player, Hagi helped Galatasaray win four consecutive titles - the first side to do so - while also leading the way to a monumental victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] in the UEFA Cup final in 2000 for their maiden European trophy.[/p][embed guid="a8e4e5b5-fbd1-44fe-90b5-1d60a2366ae6" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhxkRpvGbSE" social-type="youtube" /][p]They followed that up at the start of the next season by winning the UEFA Super Cup following a stunning win over Real Madrid. They are the only Turkish team to win European silverware.[/p][p]A defining figure not just in Galatasaray's history but in Turkish football, Hagi forged an unparalleled legacy.[/p][h2]1. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osimhen-victor/23YHG47R/"]Victor Osimhen[/a] (Galatasaray)[/h2][image alt="Victor Osimhen at Galatasaray" id="4fab6f35-921a-407c-97d7-b20dce2b150a" credit-line="ČTK / imago sportfotodienst / Yagiz Gurtug" guid="a4f15078-4663-4a94-8806-e8a04399d218" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p]Victor Osimhen's move to Galatasaray takes the top spot because it completely defied expectations for big-name players moving to the Super Lig. Usually, it is when they are starting to decline a little or are in the twilight of their career. With Osimhen, it was completely different.[/p][p]At 25 years old, Osimhen was widely recognised as one of the world's best strikers, arriving in his prime. During the summer of 2024, he had been heavily linked with a move to Premier League outfit Chelsea, but a deal broke down on the final day of the window.[/p][embed guid="e0769629-9cac-47b4-9fbc-17c8f6006561" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBIaryA-aNs" social-type="youtube" /][p]However, unlike other countries, the transfer window in Turkey remains open for an additional couple of weeks. As a result, Galatasaray offered Osimhen the opportunity to join them on loan for the season. The Nigerian had a major fallout with his club at the time, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a], who were keen to get him off their books.[/p][p]When it was revealed that Osimhen was to move to Galatasaray, it sent shockwaves around football. They had made the most of a pretty remarkable and fortunate opportunity, and the rest is history.[/p][p]Osimhen scored 37 goals in 41 games in his debut season, becoming the highest-scoring foreigner for the club in a single campaign. His exploits helped them to a league and cup double.[/p][p]Many anticipated that he would look to join another team competing in one of Europe's biggest leagues. Yet after falling in love with the club and the fans falling in love with him, he decided he wanted a permanent move.[/p][p]Consequently, Galatasaray splashed a barely-believable 75 million euros to sign him, absolutely obliterating the Super Lig transfer record, further emphasising the magnitude of the transfer. The previous record was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/en-nesyri-youssef/UqBaaAqo/"]Youssef En-Nesyri[/a] to Fenerbahce for 20 million euros.[/p][image alt="Osimhen career stats" id="7a3f4f35-8271-4e85-8036-b249b6588679" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="cf83b427-90b3-4e1d-83c7-abc30dbf0bee" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Osimhen enjoyed another brilliant campaign in 2025/26, scoring 22 goals in 33 games as Galatasaray won a fourth straight Super Lig title - matching the exploits of Hagi's 1996-2000 teams - while reaching the Champions League last 16. Osimhen even netted seven times in Europe.[/p][p]The signing of Osimhen was unprecedented in Turkish football, made possible by an extraordinary sequence of circumstances. He continues to lead Galatasaray as their talisman and the best player in the league by some distance, and he will be gunning to make more history with the club.[/p][infobox id="a9570b4f-da31-4683-ae60-9f920c0540d9" /]