Galatasaray fans humiliated as club fails to complete paperwork for Grosskreutz transfer

ISTANBUL

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Galatasaray has been left red-faced and frustrated after the Istanbul club failed to complete the necessary paperwork for the transfer of a coveted defender, missing the chance to include him in the squad before the closure of the winter transfer window. 

FIFA refused on Sept. 2 to permit German player Kevin Grosskreutz’s proposed move from Borussia Dortmund to Galatasaray, rejecting an appeal by the Turkish club.

Galatasaray said in a written statement that the move was rejected by FIFA “not due to the timing of the application, but incomplete paperwork.”

FIFA announced that “all the necessary steps for the settlement of this envisaged transfers within the prescribed time frame” had not been taken.

The documents sent by Galatasaray to FIFA for the transfer lacked the signatures of the club’s officials, daily Hürriyet reported.

The club’s supporters, frustrated by the scandal, launched a campaign on Sept. 2 demanding the resignations of club chairman Dursun Özbek and his administration. The hashtag #DursunÖzbekistifaet (resign Dursun Özbek) was the top trending topic on Twitter for hours on Sept. 2, with more than 100,000 tweets written on the subject.

“The scandal has shown us and the entire world that an army of incompetent officials are in charge of Galatasaray,” UltrAslan, the club’s biggest supporter group, said in a written statement. 

“Those involved in this reputation-tarnishing scandal cannot be a part of the club anymore. Those responsible, from the chairman to the lowest-level official, should leave their posts immediately,” the group added.

Dortmund has nonetheless agreed to let Grosskreutz leave Signal Iduna Park, though he must wait until January before being registered as a Galatasaray player.

“FIFA has blocked the transfer of Kevin Grosskreutz to Turkish top flight outfit Galatasaray,” Dortmund said in a statement. 

“An appeal lodged by Galatasaray against the decision was unsuccessful. Galatasaray informed BVB of the outcome on Wednesday. FIFA believes Galatasaray had not taken all of the necessary steps required to complete the planned transfer within the specified transfer window. Galatasaray and Kevin Grosskreutz expressed their wish for the transfer to be carried out at the next available opportunity and under the already agreed conditions,” it added.

“Up until his registration - which will provisionally take place on 1/1/2016 - Kevin Grosskreutz will therefore become a Galatasaray player with immediate effect, allowing him to participate in his new club’s training sessions and friendly matches,” the statement from Dortmund also said.

Grosskreutz himself issued a message to bid farewell to Dortmund and thanked the club’s fans for their support.

“I will move to Istanbul next week and will have the time to prove myself in the training sessions until January,” he said in the message.

The 27-year-old German spent six seasons with Dortmund, making 236 appearances across all competitions, scoring 27 goals and making 37 assists. 

However, after pre-season injuries and a public falling out with new Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, Grosskreutz was sent to train and play with Dortmund’s reserve squad.