Farewell to Mauro Icardi: Four-year Galatasaray journey ends

An era has officially come to a close at Galatasaray. The Yellow-Reds announced their split with Argentine striker Mauro Icardi on their official X account. The club's farewell message was highly emotional: "Dear Mauro, today we're not talking about departure, but legacy. No longer wearing the Galatasaray shirt won't change your place in our hearts. Because you, from 7 to 70, built a throne in the heart of every Galatasaray fan. Beyond the goals you scored, the top-scorer titles you claimed, the records you broke and the trophies you lifted, you lived the passion of Galatasaray and made millions live it too. You are no longer just a name written in golden letters in the club's history, but a treasure that will live forever among Galatasaray's unforgettable legends."

Icardi's Galatasaray story began in October 2022. Joining on loan from PSG and signing permanently for a €10 million fee at the end of that season, the Argentine centre-forward became one of the club's most important attacking weapons over four seasons in the yellow and red shirt.

The numbers illustrate the scale of the legacy Icardi leaves behind. The 33-year-old striker contributed 77 goals and 25 assists in 134 matches, breaking Gheorghe Hagi's record of 72 goals to become the club's all-time top-scoring foreign player. Named top scorer of the 2023-24 season with 25 goals, Icardi won 4 Süper Lig titles, a Turkish Cup and a Turkish Super Cup at Cimbom, cementing himself as one of the club's most successful signings in recent years.

With the Argentine's contract having expired at the end of last season, his future has now become clear, though his next destination has not yet been announced.

Image: NTV Spor