Rafael Leao greeted by huge Galatasaray crowd after AC Milan exit
Quick summary
Rafael Leao has left AC Milan and been welcomed by a large crowd of Galatasaray fans upon his arrival, confirming his move to the Turkish club.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceRafael Leao was greeted by thousands of fans as he landed in Istanbul to begin his Galatasaray adventure after leaving Milan, preferring them to Aston Villa. ‘Victor Osimhen is a really good friend.’
FOLLIA GALATASARAY PER RAFA LEÃO!
I tifosi #cimbom prendono letteralmente d’assalto la macchina che trasporta il portoghese dopo il suo arrivo a Istanbul.
Entusiasmo incontenibile per il nuovo acquisto del Galatasaray pic.twitter.com/ZEOeBOxYlS
— Gianluigi Longari (@Glongari) August 29, 2026
There was another proposal on the table from Aston Villa, but with figures significantly lower both in terms of the transfer fee to Milan and the salary for the player.
Rafael Leao welcomed by Galatasaray supporters Rafael Leao: Osimhen’le çok iyi arkadaşız. Hem Şampiyonlar Ligi’nde hem ligde çok iyi işler başaracağız. Heyecanla maçlara çıkmayı bekliyorum. pic.twitter.com/pGirb21qJh
— HT Spor (@HTSpor) August 29, 2026
“I hope I can give really good joy to the Galatasaray fans,” Leao told reporters as the crowds screamed his name.
“Galatasaray was looking for this deal to push through from June, the President and vice president did a really good job. Thank you to all the guys who made the deal happen.
“It’s a good opportunity for me and I will do my best.”
Rafael Leao’nun İstanbul’daki ilk görüntüleri HT Spor’da!
Geliş görüntülerini canlı izlemek için: https://t.co/C4NfNkCXr7 pic.twitter.com/wgt8gXWiqo
— HT Spor (@HTSpor) August 29, 2026
It had been suggested that former Napoli striker Osimhen was instrumental in helping convince Leao that this was the best step for his career following seven years at San Siro.
“Osimhen is a really good friend, I think we will do good things together for Galatasaray. We are in the Champions League, want to win the League, so I am excited,” confessed the Portugal international.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Rafael Leao of AC Milan warms up prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Milan had been looking for €50m plus add-ons to make the sale, but ultimately had to settle for closer to €43-45m plus €2m bonus and a 20-25 per cent cut of the future fee.
The player is expected to pocket circa €12m per season in wages with Galatasaray, where he will be teammates with Nigeria international Osimhen.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Rafael Leao has departed AC Milan and been officially presented as a Galatasaray player, greeted by a massive crowd of enthusiastic fans. The Portuguese forward's exit from Milan marks the end of a significant chapter at the San Siro, and his arrival in Turkey represents a major statement signing for Galatasaray. The scale of the reception underscores the magnitude of the transfer for the Süper Lig club.
Chance analysis
Rafael Leao's departure from AC Milan and his blockbuster arrival at Galatasaray is one of the most high-profile moves linking the Süper Lig with elite European talent in recent memory. For Milan, losing a player of Leao's quality and market value represents a significant blow to their attacking identity, while Galatasaray's ability to attract a forward of his caliber signals serious ambition. The passionate fan reception highlights how transformative a single signing can be for a club's profile and commercial appeal in Turkey.
AC Milan lose a key creative attacking threat while Galatasaray gain a elite forward whose quality could elevate their domestic and European competitiveness.