Ex-Arsenal scout Francis Cagigao talks recruitment at Galatasaray, Wilfried Zaha, Saudi money and European vision
TURKEY’S Super Lig, on the face of it, is back on the map after an unexpected cash-splurging transfer window.
While Saudi Arabia stole the headlines with billions spent on luring Europe’s biggest names, Turkish football slipped under the radar with some stand-out captures of their own.
Besiktas recruited Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Fenerbahce signed Fred, Edin Dzeko, Dusan Tadic and Cengiz Under.
And then there was Galatasaray, with perhaps the most impressive of hauls as Wilfried Zaha, Hakim Ziyech, Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele walked through the door.
This was a window primarily orchestrated by another Galatasaray signing, the club’s newly-appointed head of global recruitment and Strategy, Francis Cagigao.
Formerly one of Arsene Wenger’s most-trusted Arsenal scouts from 1996 to 2020, the 53-year-old only began work on July 1, but has already had the desired impact at a club he describes as “pure and passionate”.
Of course, the most eye-catching piece of business was the deal for Crystal Palace’s Zaha, who netted his first goal for the club in a 2-1 win over Ankaragucu last Saturday to maintain an unbeaten start to the new campaign.
Cagigao told SunSport: “Wilfried needed a new challenge, in his career and his life. It is a good fit. Galatasaray and him are a very good fit.”
But Cagigao – who spent the past two years as technical director of the Chile national team – is fixated on the bigger picture, on bringing back the glory years to Turkish football.
Despite winning the Super Lig for a 23 time last season, Turkey’s poor Fifa rankings meant Galatasaray were forced to play six qualifying matches to reach the Champions League group stages.
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And ahead of a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Tuesday, Cagigao explained: “It is not normal for the champions of Turkey to have to play three qualifiers to get into the groups.
“But I look at everything from short to mid-term and certainly in the mid-term, Galatasaray can get back to being a European superpower.
“We need to work hard and intelligently and year by year the structure will need to improve for that to happen, but why not? Why can’t Galatasaray be one of Europe’s top 10 clubs?
“We have the fanbase, the best in the world in my opinion. The potential and possibilities are outstanding. There are some very exciting projects in the pipeline for the club to be a dominant team in European football again.
“So, why shouldn’t we be ambitious and aim high?
“To be back among the European powerhouses is the vision of the club and its board of directors. If they didn’t have that vision I wouldn’t be here.”
It was not long ago that Turkish football was on the brink of ruin economically, yet for now, it seems there is money to be spent – in a desperate attempt to keep up with Saudi and the rest of Europe.
Cagigao admitted you have to be a “masochist” to enjoy the end of a transfer window, and said: “This summer was hugely inflated because of the sums Saudi clubs are able to pay. You can’t compete. I don’t think any European club can compete.
“Let’s wait and see the knock-on effects and how Saudi structures its football in years to come. Signing top players is one thing, but another is getting the right structure.
“This market is more complicated to deal with players, but in complicated times you need to be more creative. It has to be perfect.
“Turkey as a whole went under the radar in the summer, but all the big clubs have signed big players. Turkish football needs to get back to where it was some years ago.”
How long that will last is anyone’s guess, but big plans are being put in place by Cagigao at Galatasaray. A new training ground should be ready by 2025, while the club’s academy system is due to be revamped.
Cagigao – who unearthed future stars while with the Gunners, from Cesc Fabregas to Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba – added: “I am still very much driven to find those gems, to find top, top prospects, and get that feeling.
“There is a lot of good young talent in Turkey. Our academy, it is a work in progress. It is about building that and if you can do that, then you are on your way to success.”
