Galatasaray president breaks silence on possible signing of Lionel Messi amid Champions League ambitions

Lionel Messi‘s future InterMiami ahead of the MLS offseason was one of the most talked about topics in recent weeks as he prepared for the 2026 World Cup with Argentina. After reports linking him Galatasaray, club president Dursun Özbek has broken his silence on the rumors as he addressed those of the team UEFA Champions League ambitions.

Last week Turkish outlet Photo machine reported that Galatasaray is interested in renting Messi for four monthsa step that is considered financially feasible. The idea would be to help the Argentina legend stay fit during the MLS break.

In an interview with the Turkish outlet Fans, Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek addressed the rumors head-on: “You can’t live without dreaming. Will we ever see Messi wearing the Galatasaray shirt? Galatasaray’s greatest success lies in its signings. We didn’t make many, but we made the ones we needed, and we kept the squad together. We have kept the backbone of the team that won the league three years in a row – essentially the entire team.“

For the 2025-2026 season Galatasaray completed the successful signing of Victor Osimhen in a record €75 million contract. The fee more than doubled Wilfried Singo’s second record signing for €30.77 million earlier this season, underlining Galatasaray’s lofty ambitions on the European stage.

Under this strategy of heavy investment to pursue continental success, Özbek made it clear that he is not afraid to spend more money. “Galatasaray’s financial situation allows us to sign these signatures. We have increased our success level so that people can ask about Messi without any problems. At the same time, we have achieved a solid financial position and will not do anything to jeopardize it.

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The president then emphasized that the club’s ambitions must remain in line with its resources: “All our work must match our financial capacity. That is why we have built a strong team and hope to have European ambitions. We will do whatever it takes to reach them.”

Messi and a possible return to the Champions League

On Monday, Messi made headlines by returning to Camp Nou, with FC Barcelona’s official X account (formerly Twitter) posting a heartfelt message: “You are always welcome at your home, Leo.Yet Galatasaray executives have not hesitated to express interest in the signing InterMiami star, even though no credible reports have emerged of a return to Barcelona.

If Messi were to return to Europe by joining Galatasaray, which would be a stunning move, he would get the chance to face Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the January matches. With the 2026 MLS season not set to resume until late February, a short European stint could help him maintain competitive sharpness.

“The Champions League is a very demanding tournament. Very important teams are participating. We want to continue by finishing in the top 8 or 16. I trust my team. I hope we achieve our goal in the Champions League this year and that we can please our fans without losing focussaid Özbek. Galatasaray are currently ninth in the UCL standings with three wins and one defeat and have a great chance of advancing to the next stage of the competition.