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Prem Projections

Gabriel Sara to Aston Villa from Galatasaray

Gabriel Sara · Incoming transfer · Galatasaray

The Verdict Right Now

6%likelihood
Linked / interestdeal stage
Incomingdirection
State of play
MoveGalatasaray → Villa
In shortInterest flagged for January
Last reportedNovember 2nd (7 days ago)
SourcingAggregator-level, with no original reporting behind it yet

Villa are one of four Premier League clubs, with Newcastle, Everton, and Brighton, to have expressed interest in the Galatasaray midfielder ahead of January, the Brazilian outlet RTI Esporte reported, relayed by Sport Witness on November 2nd; Napoli and Roma are also named. Galatasaray are prepared to negotiate from €40m (£33.3m), while Turkish reports suggest around €35m could be enough. Villa pursued the 27-year-old in the summer without a deal being done.

Primary source: RTI Esporte and Terra, via Sport Witness (Pedro Reinert), November 2nd · last corroborated November 2nd.

How the Story Moved

DateWhat changed
July 15thTrackedRumor opened on the board at 22% (contact) — source: Sports Mole / TEAMtalk. Reports say Villa are ready to make a formal approach before the end of the week, with a package worth around €30m mooted for the Brazil midfielder as a Tielemans replacement. Galatasaray value him at €30-35m and may cash in to fund a move for Khéphren Thuram; the 26-year-old knows England from two seasons at Norwich. No bid submitted yet.
July 26thMovedLikelihood rose from 22% to 37% (talks). Villa have moved from an enquiry to an active negotiation. Turkish outlet TribunArena, citing the reporter @bichonewz, said on July 26th that Villa and Newcastle have each put a first verbal offer to Galatasaray for the Brazil midfielder, and Read Aston Villa relayed the same evening that Villa have held talks with his representatives. Galatasaray will listen at around EUR 30m, roughly GBP 25m, and no formal written bid has been lodged by either club; a Saudi Pro League offer is also expected in the coming days. Sara scored five and set up four in 27 Super Lig appearances last season and can play as a No 8, a 10 or in a deeper role, which fits the profile Unai Emery has been chasing since Morgan Rogers left. Champions League football is the lever Villa hold and Newcastle do not, and the player is receptive to a return to England after two seasons at Norwich. Napoli are monitoring. The underlying English-language reporting remains Fraser Fletcher's TEAMtalk exclusive of July 20th, which first placed Villa and Newcastle in contact with the Galatasaray camp.
August 9thVerdictRumor died — dropped from the board at 37%
November 7thTrackedRumor opened on the board at 9% (linked) — source: RTI Esporte and Terra, via Sport Witness (Pedro Reinert), November 2nd. Villa are one of four Premier League clubs, with Newcastle, Everton, and Brighton, to have expressed interest in the Galatasaray midfielder ahead of January, the Brazilian outlet RTI Esporte reported, relayed by Sport Witness on November 2nd; Napoli and Roma are also named. Galatasaray are prepared to negotiate from €40m (£33.3m), while Turkish reports suggest around €35m could be enough. Villa pursued the 27-year-old in the summer without a deal being done.

Timeline since the rumor joined the board.