Turkish giant Galatasaray officially announced the signing of national player Efe Mandıracı, who penned a two-year contract with the "yellow-reds". The outside hitter will be one of the key figures in the squad that will represent Turkey in the Champions League during the 2026/2027 season.

The club announced that the 23-year-old volleyball player will defend the colors of Galatasaray after his stint with Italian club Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza. Before that, Mandıracı played for Izmir Saint Joseph, Altekma, and Arkas Spor, and his resume includes winning the Turkish Cup and the CEV Cup.

A transfer that had been talked about for months

The official confirmation comes after prolonged speculation in the Turkish and Italian media. As early as June, Italian publications claimed that despite public denials from various parties, Mandıracı's return to Turkey was practically decided.
According to reports, Galatasaray made an extremely strong financial offer, which convinced one of the best Turkish outside hitters to end his stay in Serie A.

Salary of 1.25 million euros per season?

The most discussed topic surrounding the transfer was precisely the financial aspect of the deal. According to information from the Italian publicationiVolley Magazine, Galatasaray offered Mandıracı a two-year contract worth around 1.25 million euros per season. If this information is accurate, the Turkish national player will become one of the highest-paid volleyball players in the country.
According to the same publications, this amount refers solely to the player's remuneration and does not include any potential compensation to Piacenza for the early termination of his contract.
With the official signing of Efe Mandıracı, Galatasaray clearly demonstrates its ambitions to aim for the highest goals both in the Turkish championship and in the Champions League, where in the new season it will represent Turkey with one of its strongest squads in recent years.