Diagne closes in on Süper Lig top scorer crown


Galatasaray's Senegalese international Mbaye Diagne is edging ever closer to becoming the Süper Lig's top foreign scorer.

The 27-year-old forward currently has 28 goals to his name and is the undisputed leader of the score board in the 2018-2019 Süper Lig season. He needs one more goal to equal Galatasaray's former French forward Bafetimbi Gomis's record as Süper Lig's top foreign scorer. Diagne, a former Juventus player, joined Kasımpaşa last year from TJ Teda before signing a four-year deal with Galatasaray in the January transfer window. After impressing fans with his scoring skills in the Kasımpaşa's colors, the forward was picked up Galatasaray for 10 million euros.

He has scored at least a goal on average in every matchday this season and may equal and break Gomis's record in the remaining five weeks of the Süper Lig. Gomis scored 29 goals in 33 matches for Galatasaray last season.

Diagne reached the peak of his career at Kasımpaşa, scoring 20 goals in 17 Süper Lig matches. He has played eight games for Galatasaray so far. However, 11 of his 28 goals came from the spot, six for Kasımpaşa and five for Galatasaray. Overall, Diagne managed to score against 16 out of the 18 Süper Lig teams. Ironically, he failed to score against his former team Kasımpaşa. He also failed to score any goal against Göztepe, one of two teams on the brink of relegation this season. Diagne is also in running for the Golden Shoe, awarded every year to Europe's highest scoring footballer. Lionel Messi is currently on course to winning his fifth Golden Shoe, with 33 goals so far. He is followed by PSG's Kylian Mbappe with 27 goals.