As we already wrote about the information that emerged in Turkey in recent days regarding Georgi Tatarov's move to Galatasaray, today the transfer is official. The Turkish grand Galatasaray HDI Sigorta has signed the Bulgarian outside hitter Georgi Tatarov until the end of the season. The Istanbul club announced the signing of a contract with the 22-year-old national team player, who will complete the campaign in the Turkish league.
Initially, the news was spread on the social network X by the Starting Six profile and caused a serious discussion among the "yellow-reds" fans. Now it has official confirmation.
Mixed reactions among Galatasaray fans
The announcement of Georgi Tatarov's transfer caused significant activity on the social network X, with fans' opinions being varied.
A large number of fans welcomed the Bulgarian outside hitter with warm greetings and wishes for success under the yellow-red jersey. The comments highlighted the hope that he could prove useful in the decisive phase of the season and contribute to the team's ambitions in the fight for medals.
Alongside the positive reactions, critical questions were also raised towards the management. Some supporters drew attention to the women's volleyball and basketball teams, raising the issue of the lack of new coaches and additions there. Other fans expressed the opinion that the men's team needs further strengthening – especially with a young setter and libero, as well as an improvement in the serving element.
Overall, the tone on social media can be described as moderately optimistic, but accompanied by high expectations for both the new signing and the club's next moves in the final part of the season.
The timing of the transfer
Tatarov started the 2025/2026 season in the Italian SuperLega with Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina. The team has one more match until the end of the regular season, after which it will be relegated to Serie A2.
Grottazzolina's last match is on February 25, away against Perugia, after which the Bulgarian must travel to Turkey to finalize his move to Galatasaray.
The earliest opportunity for him to debut for his new team is on March 1, in the away match against Spor Toto.
The situation at Galatasaray
Currently, Galatasaray holds third place in the Turkish championship and is fighting for medals. The squad features the Olympic champion from Paris 2024, Jean Patry, who is the team's main offensive figure. Canadian national Stephen Maar is also part of the team.
Last season, the Bulgarian outside hitter Martin Atanasov also played in the squad, which makes Tatarov's signing a logical continuation of the club's policy to work with young athletes from the Balkans.
Tatarov's sports-technical profile suggests that he can provide depth in reception and stability in the attack-defense transition phase.
Career development and the logic of the move
Georgi Tatarov's career is developing dynamically. After starting at CSKA Sofia, he played for Turkish Altekma, French Narbonne, and spent two seasons in the Italian SuperLega with Grottazzolina. In four seasons abroad, he gained experience in three different championships, which speaks to his adaptability and pursuit of a higher competitive level.
His stay in Italy improved his tactical discipline and off-the-ball play.
Tatarov has the following statistics at the end of the season before the last match against Perugia:152 points from 345 attacks with 38% attack efficiency and 18.7% perfect reception.
The return to Turkey does not look like a step backward, but rather a strategic move – instead of staying in a relegated team, he is moving to a team with ambitions for a top finish.
For Tatarov, this is an opportunity to get a clearer role in a squad that is fighting for medals, and for Galatasaray – an investment in a young, already internationally experienced outside hitter.
photos: Nikolay Varadinov
