TURKISH FOOTBALL'S MOST EVENTFUL TRANSFER: HASAN VEZIR

One of the most striking transfer processes in Turkish football history took place during Hasan Vezir's move from Fenerbahce to Galatasaray in 1989. The successful striker, who won the championship with Trabzonspor in the 1983-1984 season and played for Rizespor in 1987-1988, became one of the most important figures of Fenerbahce, which broke records with 103 goals in the 1988-1989 season. Hasan Vezir, whose contract expired at the end of the season, had a financial disagreement with the executive of the time, Metin Asik. Evaluating this situation, the Galatasaray administration stepped in before the cup final and reached a principled agreement with the player.

The transfer operation began when Hasan Vezir was called to the exit of the old London asphalt tunnel on the E-5 highway in Kucukyali along with his older brother. Here, Galatasaray executive Ergun Gursoy sent the player's brother back, stating they would drop him home, and put Hasan Vezir in the car, setting off towards Bursa with four people including the driver. Although the player stated he had a cup match the next day, the route did not change. During the journey, at a night checkpoint at the entrance of Bursa, a police officer who was a Fenerbahce fan recognized the people in the car and kept track of the issue.

The vehicle reached the house of businessman and Galatasaray executive Ozhan Canaydin in Bademli Village around 02:00 at night. The Canaydin family encountered Hasan Vezir wearing only shorts and a Fenerbahce t-shirt. Following the assessment of the situation, Ozhan Canaydin called his textile factory to have suitable clothes prepared for the player and ordered provisions from a famous meatball restaurant in Bursa around 03:00. The vehicle leaving Bademli first stopped by the factory to pick up the clothes, then set out for Fethiye around 03:30. Although it remains unclear whether the Fenerbahce fan police officer leaked the situation to the press, the Galatasaray administration had Hasan Vezir sign the official contract the next morning at a holiday village in Fethiye, securing its place among the most interesting transfers in Turkish football.

IMAGE: ARŞİV