Lesley Ugochukwu arrives in Istanbul to finalise Galatasaray loan-to-buy move | OneFootball

Lesley Ugochukwu has arrived in Istanbul to finalise a move to Galatasaray, with the club close to their first major signing of the summer. According to Turkish-Football.com, the 22-year-old is in the city to complete the switch.

He landed at the Atatürk Airport General Aviation Terminal, where board member Abdullah Kavukcu and a group of yellow-and-red supporters greeted him.

“When I was younger, I always dreamed of playing for massive clubs,” Ugochukwu told reporters. “Now, I have joined a giant club like Galatasaray. I am incredibly happy.”

He is scheduled to undergo medical tests and finalise contract terms in the coming hours. The agreement is a loan with a €2 million fee and a €25 million option to buy, which becomes an obligation if an appearance threshold is met, taking the total up to €27 million.

Manager Okan Buruk played a key role, holding video calls to outline how the 1.90m midfielder would anchor the champions’ midfield.

His profile fits the Turkish Football Federation’s revised domestic +4 under-23 foreign player rule, providing useful registration flexibility.

He was said to be eager to test himself in the UEFA Champions League and to link up with team-mates such as Victor Osimhen.

A Rennes academy graduate, Ugochukwu has featured in the Premier League and Championship across spells with Chelsea, Southampton and Burnley. He made 38 appearances for Burnley last season, scoring 3 goals.

With the player now in Istanbul, an official club announcement, KAP, is expected shortly.

Source: Turkish-Football.com