Galatasaray have signed Russian attacking midfielder Aleksey Batrakov from Lokomotiv Moscow on a five-year contract, adding one of Russia's most promising young players to the Turkish champions' squad.
The Istanbul club will pay Lokomotiv 25 million euros ($29.19 million) for the 21-year-old, while the Russian club will also receive 15% of the profit from Batrakov's next transfer. Batrakov will earn a guaranteed net salary of 3.25 million euros per season under a contract running through the 2030-31 campaign.
The move makes Batrakov the first Russian player in Galatasaray's 121-year history and the 218th foreign footballer to represent the club since the Turkish top flight began in 1959.
Galatasaray had previously signed players from 54 countries across six continents, with Brazil accounting for the largest share. The club has brought in 25 Brazilian players, followed by 16 from the former Yugoslavia and 15 from Romania.
Batrakov's arrival marks a notable new chapter in that history as Galatasaray add their first Russian player to a squad strengthened during an ambitious summer transfer window.
A product of Lokomotiv Moscow's academy, Batrakov emerged as one of the standout young players in Russian football. He can operate as a No. 10 or on the right wing and enjoyed a breakthrough 2025-26 campaign, scoring 17 goals in 36 appearances across the Russian Premier League and Russian Cup. Anadolu Agency reported that he also contributed nine assists in the league last season.
He began the new season with one goal and one assist in five appearances before completing his move to Istanbul.
Batrakov also has established himself with the Russian national team. He made his senior debut against Brunei on Nov. 15, 2024, scoring in his first appearance. He has since earned 12 international caps and scored four goals, according to Anadolu Agency's report.
The transfer represents Batrakov's first move outside Russia and a major step in his development. He arrived in Istanbul on Thursday and was greeted by Galatasaray officials and supporters after landing at Ataturk Airport with his family.
Speaking after his arrival, Batrakov said he was excited about beginning the next stage of his career and was eager to experience Galatasaray's renowned support.
"This is an exciting process for me. It will be my first experience abroad. I hope everything will be very good for me and the club," Batrakov said.
He added that Galatasaray supporters are known as some of the most passionate fans in Europe and said he wanted to get on the field and meet them as soon as possible.
The deal was subsequently formalized, with Galatasaray notifying the Public Disclosure Platform that it would pay Lokomotiv 25 million euros and give the Russian club 15% of any profit from Batrakov's next transfer. The club also confirmed the five-year contract and his annual net salary of 3.25 million euros.
Batrakov joins Galatasaray after the club also added French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu during the summer window, as the reigning Turkish champions continue to build a squad capable of competing domestically and in Europe.