Safi promises Çalhanoğlu and Conte, Yıldırım fires back

Safi promises Çalhanoğlu, Conte, and a transfer blitz

Presidential candidate Hakan Safi is not holding back. With the club congress set for June 6-7, he told Inter's Hakan Çalhanoğlu directly: "Don't worry about the money. We're ready to pay more than you earn there" (1). He's also named Merih Demiral, Robert Lewandowski, and Mason Greenwood as targets in a sweeping pre-election pledge (3).

On the coaching side, Italian media have leaked details of Safi's contract offer to Antonio Conte (2) (9). And he says the announcements start Thursday: "from tomorrow we will reveal the transfers" (11).

Greenwood race: both candidates want him

Mason Greenwood has emerged as the one target both campaigns agree on. The Marseille forward is being pursued by both Aziz Yıldırım and Hakan Safi, with Tottenham also in the mix (6). That both sides want the same name tells you how serious this push is.

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Yıldırım's counter: unity, failure, and a Mourinho confession

Aziz Yıldırım struck a serious tone, saying he's running to "prevent this failure at Fenerbahçe" and warning that if you don't win the title, "you lose all the young talent of the future" (8) (10).

In a striking admission, he also said that had he been president, he would have told Mourinho: "Look after your own business, brother" (10). The former president has imposed a media ban on his daughter during election week and is campaigning on a unity message.

Safi's bigger plan: Maldini role and a new goalkeeper

Beyond the marquee names, Safi is sketching a football structure. He plans to bring in Paolo Maldini for a leadership role in the football department and wants an Italian goalkeeper to replace Ederson (4). The vision is ambitious: a full rebuild from the backline to the boardroom.

Fan reactions

Galatasaray fans are watching the circus with glee. Çalhanoğlu's uncle has already shut the door publicly, posting that Hakan is not joining Fenerbahçe. Former Gala player Roman Kosecki called Fener a "mid-level club" and told Lewandowski: "Robert, don't go down that road." And Lucas Torreira twisted the knife, saying he "feels very comfortable" playing at Fener's home. The rivals are enjoying election season.

Sources

  • 1. sozcu.com.tr — Başkan adayı Hakan Safi, milli yıldızı Fenerbahçe’ye getirebilmek için gözünü kararttı! Hakan’a açık çek
  • 2. fotomac.com.tr — Hakan Safi'nin Conte teklifi ortaya çıktı! İşte sözleşme detayları
  • 3. fotomac.com.tr — Hakan Safi'den 3 transfer bombası birden! Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Merih Demiral ve...
  • 4. fotomac.com.tr — Hakan Safi Ederson'un yerine o ismi getirecek! Maldini vatandaşı için devrede
  • 6. voetbalprimeur.nl — Turkse presidentskandidaten zetten hoog in en willen Greenwood naar Istanbul halen
  • 8. sabah.com.tr — Aziz Yıldırım: "Fenerbahçe’deki bu başarısızlığı önlemek istiyoruz"
  • 9. corrieredellosport.it — Bologna, tennis, calciomercato e Serie B: le ultimissime
  • 10. hurriyet.com.tr — Aziz Yıldırım'dan Mourinho itirafı: 'Başkan olsaydım 'işine bak kardeşim' derdim'
  • 11. sozcu.com.tr — Hakan Safi resmen çıldırdı! 2 milli oyuncu, 3 de dünya yıldızı
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