George Gardi: Leao dreamed of the Premier League but chose Galatasaray

Speaking after Galatasaray's 3-2 win over Göztepe, agent George Gardi shed light on the behind-the-scenes details of Rafael Leao's transfer. He said negotiations for the Portuguese star had been ongoing for more than three weeks and described the process as intense. According to Gardi, Leao had always dreamed of playing in the Premier League but changed his mind after witnessing the atmosphere at Galatasaray.

Gardi explained that Leao was drawn to offers from England, given the Premier League's reputation as one of the biggest leagues in the world. However, he said the forward realized he could play alongside stars like Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane at Galatasaray and compete ambitiously in the Champions League with this squad. Gardi noted that completing the deal required significant effort right up until the final day, suggesting the player's decision remained uncertain until late in the process.

According to reports, an offer from Aston Villa was still on the table as recently as the day before the transfer was finalized. Gardi revealed that he, along with Galatasaray's president and vice-president, met with the player the day before the deal went through. Following that meeting, Leao was reportedly convinced to stay by the club's affection for him and the passion shown by the fans.

Gardi said several clubs from different countries had shown interest in Leao but declined to name them specifically. He mentioned that clubs from Italy and England were involved, along with one Turkish club, though the player ultimately chose Galatasaray. Gardi added that some of the other offers were actually larger than Galatasaray's, yet Leao still opted to join the yellow-and-red side.