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From Turkish clubs to Europe: notable summer 2026 departuresFive cases showing how sales and free transfers differ, and why replacing players’ roles matters
Assessing a transfer window involves following departures as well as arrivals. Players leaving change coaches’ options and clubs’ commitments. A sale may create financial room to rebuild, while another departure can leave a gap that needs filling quickly.
Summer 2026 saw players move from Turkish clubs to Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland. These departures took different forms: permanent sales with disclosed fees, permanent transfers with undisclosed terms and a free transfer following contract termination.
We examine five confirmed cases, their agreement details and what they may mean for the clubs involved.
Last updated: 1 October 2026.This article covers selected transfers announced during the summer, including players owned by Turkish clubs who spent the previous season on loan elsewhere.
Departures at a glance| Player | Move | Announcement date |
|---|---|---|
| Mateusz Lis | Göztepe to Lech Poznań | 16 June 2026 |
| Christ Inao Oulaï | Trabzonspor to Fiorentina | 19 July 2026 |
| Felix Uduokhai | Beşiktaş to Union Berlin | 27 August 2026 |
| Dominik Livaković | Fenerbahçe to Barcelona | 27 August 2026 |
| Sofyan Amrabat | Ajax following termination of his Fenerbahçe contract | 30 August 2026 |
Understanding the dates: The column shows when each transfer was announced. Registration and eligibility to play involve separate procedures and deadlines.
1. Oulaï to Fiorentina: understanding the financial return
Christ Inao Oulaï in the presentation image for his move to Fiorentina.
On 19 July 2026, Trabzonspor announced an agreement for Oulaï’s permanent transfer to Fiorentina. The terms clearly distinguish the guaranteed fee from conditional bonuses.
| Item | Agreed terms |
|---|---|
| Guaranteed fee | €26,000,000. |
| Conditional bonuses | €4,000,061. |
| Potential total if all bonuses are triggered | €30,000,061. |
| Future transfer clause | Trabzonspor receive 10% of the net fee from a future transfer. |
How should we read these figures?
The guaranteed amount is €26 million. The additional sum depends on the agreed conditions being met. The overall value does not mean that every payment was immediately earned or paid.
The future transfer percentage relates to the net proceeds of a subsequent transfer. It should not be counted as an extra part of the current deal’s return.
What it means for Trabzonspor:
The deal gives the club financial scope to redistribute its investment. Assessing its sporting success requires following how Oulaï’s role is replaced: by one player or by sharing responsibilities between several, according to the team’s needs.
2. Uduokhai to Union Berlin: a return to Germany
Felix Uduokhai in his Union Berlin shirt at his summer 2026 presentation.
Beşiktaş confirmed an agreement for Uduokhai’s permanent move to Union Berlin on 27 August 2026. Union introduced him as a centre-back with Bundesliga experience.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Transfer type | Permanent transfer. |
| New club | Union Berlin, Germany. |
| Fee | Not specified in either club’s transfer announcement. |
The left-footed defender previously played for Wolfsburg and Augsburg. That background gives Union a player familiar with the Bundesliga’s demands, although his success still depends on fitting into his new team’s system.
What it means for Beşiktaş:
Replacing a left-footed centre-back involves more than counting defenders in the squad. Their distribution across the two sides of defence, ability to start attacks, cover behind the full-backs and handling of aerial balls all matter.
The departure’s impact therefore depends on the qualities of the available alternatives and how the coach uses them.
3. Mateusz Lis to Lech Poznań: an established goalkeeper leaves
The announcement image for Mateusz Lis’s return to Lech Poznań on a contract until 2029.
Lech Poznań announced Lis’s signing from Göztepe on 16 June 2026, with a contract running until 30 June 2029.
According to his new club’s introduction, he made 99 appearances for Göztepe and kept 44 clean sheets. Those figures show the extent of his involvement, while the circumstances of the matches and competitions varied.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position | Goalkeeper. |
| New contract expiry | 30 June 2029. |
| Transfer fee | Not stated in Lech Poznań’s announcement. |
What it means for Göztepe:
Replacing a goalkeeper familiar to the team goes beyond saves. It includes communication with defenders, coming for crosses and choosing when to pass under pressure.
Assessing his replacement requires following these aspects over several matches, beyond one result or the number of goals conceded in that game.
4. Livaković to Barcelona: a move after a season on loan
Dominik Livaković in Barcelona goalkeeper colours in his presentation image.
On 27 August 2026, Barcelona announced an agreement with Fenerbahçe for the Croatian goalkeeper’s transfer. He signed for four seasons, until 30 June 2030.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Owning club before the transfer | Fenerbahçe. |
| Transfer type | Permanent move to Barcelona. |
| Contract length | Four seasons, until 30 June 2030. |
| Fee | Not stated in Barcelona’s announcement. |
An important detail in his career path:
Livaković spent 2025–2026 away from Fenerbahçe on loan. He began at Girona, then moved on loan to Dinamo Zagreb during the winter window.
Fenerbahçe were therefore the club agreeing the transfer with Barcelona, while his most recent playing experience had been elsewhere.
What it means for Fenerbahçe:
This departure forms part of managing the future of a player already away on loan. Its impact differs from losing a goalkeeper who played regularly in the current team. Planning for the position, the contract and related commitments all need consideration.
5. Amrabat to Ajax: a free transfer after contract termination
Sofyan Amrabat signing his Ajax contract in August 2026.
Ajax announced Amrabat’s signing on 30 August 2026, on a contract until 30 June 2028. The club stated that he joined as a free agent after agreeing to terminate his Fenerbahçe contract.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nature of the move | Free transfer following termination of the Fenerbahçe contract. |
| New contract expiry | 30 June 2028. |
| Most recent playing spell | Real Betis during the previous season. |
Amrabat is a defensive midfielder with international experience and a career across several European leagues. For Ajax, the signing’s value depends on how he supports midfield and adapts to their style.
What it means for Fenerbahçe:
This departure should not be described as a sale to Ajax: he joined after his contract ended. Assessing the termination’s effect requires knowing the settlement terms and which obligations ended or remained. The label “free transfer” alone does not provide those details.
His previous season at Real Betis should also be considered when assessing the effect of his departure on Fenerbahçe’s team.
What do these departures mean for Turkish clubs?| Situation | Key question when assessing it |
|---|---|
| Sale with a disclosed fee | How will the club use the proceeds, and what will replacing the player cost? |
| Permanent move with an undisclosed fee | What information is available before judging the finances? |
| Move after contract termination | What were the settlement terms, and which commitments changed? |
| Departure of a player already on loan | How does the decision affect future planning for the position? |
A successful sale has two linked aspects: the quality of the financial agreement and the team’s continued ability to compete after the player leaves.
A club may receive a large fee but take too long to find a replacement. It may also reorganise its team more effectively despite losing a familiar name. Performances and the available alternatives therefore need observation before reaching a final judgement.
Why not combine the departures into one total?Among these five cases, Oulaï’s deal has a stated guaranteed fee and defined bonuses. Some of the other announcements do not disclose a fee.
“Undisclosed” does not mean zero. Potential bonuses and future transfer percentages should also not be treated as money already received.
Calculating profit requires further information about the original acquisition cost and related commitments. The selling fee alone is therefore insufficient to rank these departures by profitability.
What should we follow after the summer window?- Replacing roles: Can the available players perform the departed player’s tasks?
- Squad depth: Are there enough options when injuries and suspensions occur?
- Integration of replacements: Have the new arrivals adapted to the playing style?
- Use of the proceeds: Have departures helped build a more balanced team?
- Players’ futures: Are those who left receiving suitable opportunities at their new clubs?
Following these developments completes the assessment of the transfer window, connecting summer decisions with events on the pitch during the season.
Discussion:Which departure do you consider most significant: Oulaï from Trabzonspor, Uduokhai from Beşiktaş or Lis from Göztepe? Would you favour selling when a large offer arrives, or keeping the player until a replacement is ready?
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