The Turkish national soccer team has been in somewhat of a deep slumber in world football over the past decade or so.

This is because of the team's conspicuous absence at the previous four competitions of the world's grandest international soccer stage, the FIFA World Cup. It is important to remind soccer fans of the famous and immensely-talented Turkish side that reached the semi-finals of the 2002 soccer World Cup.

Turkey's golden generation at the 2002 World Cup boasted of world-class players such as the famous goal-scoring machine, Hakan Sukur and the goalkeeper Rusto. This talented Turkish team were unfortunately booted out of the tournament in the semi-finals by the eventual winners, the Selecao of Brazil.

Gone are the glory days of the great Turkish football talisman and goal-scoring machine , Hakan Sukur and the great goalkeeper, Rustu.

Times have changed since that glorious football journey that took the Turkish national soccer team to the semi-final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Turkish football seems to have regressed over the past decade as evidenced by their continued absence at the world's biggest soccer showcase, the FIFA World Cup. One does not need a rocket scientist to explain that the underwhelming performance of the Crescent Stars has been due to a lack of quality talent in their recent teams over the years.

Lazio striker Vedat Muriqi is a target for Turkish Super League giants Galatasaray according to the report from the stables of FotoMac, a Turkish news outlet. It was revealed that Kosovo senior national team striker Muriqi is a potential transfer target for Galatasaray ahead of the January transfer window.

Muriqi, 27, was previously on the payroll of Fenerbahce and Riverspor in the Turkish Super League. The Kosovo player has experience when it comes to Turkish top flight football and he's keen to return to play for 22-time Turkish champions Galatasaray.

Lazio striker Muriqi signed for the Italian football club last year and he has scored two goals plus two assists in 42 games in all competitions.

Galatasaray have struggled to score goals this season and it's not surprising that they are keen to sign a new striker in the winter transfer window.

Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny will see out his contract in North London according to his father. This is amidst transfer reports of a possible move to the Turkish Super League. The Egyptian star has been strongly linked with a move to Galatasaray.

His father spoke to Al Hayat TV about the Arsenal player and his contractual situation with the Gunners. According to him, the player's contract at Arsenal ends at the end of the season and that the club don't plan to terminate his contract before it finishes next summer.

Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny has reportedly agreed personal terms with Turkish Super League giants Galatasaray ahead of a possible move in the January transfer window. The news of his agreement with Galatasaray was revealed by media outlet Fanatik.

Elneny, 29, has less than a year left on his Arsenal contract and it doesn't look like the Egyptian will sign a new deal with the North London giants. The ex-FC Basel player can start to negotiate a free transfer move to a foreign club for next summer as from the start of the New Year.

The aforementioned report stated that Galatasaray are keen to do a deal for Elnenyduring the January transfer window. To this effect, they have agreed terms with the player and will need to agree a transfer fee with Arsenal for his sale.

Daniel Candeias was the hero as he scored the goal that inflicted a first defeat of the new Turkish Super League season on Galatasaray. The former Rangers attacker scored a late winner as Alanyaspor stunned Galatasarayin their latest league meeting.

Portuguese star Candeiashad an attacking output of 14 goals and 25 assists in 97 matches for Scottish Premiership champions Rangers. Candeias has been playing his club football in the Turkish top flight since leaving Rangers two years ago.

Paris Saint Germain (PSG) defender Layvin Kurzawa reportedly turned down a move to Turkish Super League giants Galatasaray this summer.

French international Kurzawa was one of the players who was believed to have been transfer-listed by the former French champions PSG this summer after they struggled to match Lille's championship charges. PSG officials were more than happy to part ways with Kurzawa during this summer’s transfer window, but the move never got off the ground because of Kurzawa's snubbing of Gala.

Turkish Super League giants Galatasaray have been given a tricky group in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) this season after the draw was held on Friday. Galatasaray were handed a tough group at the end of proceedings.

The group stage draw resulted in Galatasaray being grouped alongside Italian Serie A capital team Lazio, Russia Premier League side Lokomotiv Moscow and French giants Marseille.

Saint Johnstone FC of Scotland manager Callum Davidson has described the Europa League encounter with Turkish Super League giants Galatasaray as a ‘huge’ clash.

The two teams, Saint Johnstone and Galatasaray, were drawn together in the third qualifying round tie as far as the Europa League is concerned. The two teams played out a 1-1 draw when they met in Turkey last week. The Saints were impressive in the first leg clash played in Istanbul.

Saint Johnstone have a good chance of winning the tie. A win in the second leg at McDiarmid Park would guarantee Davidson and Saint Johnstone a place in the next round of the competition.

Turkish Super League giants Galatasaray have been handed a tough test at the start of their Champions League campaign after the draw for the second qualifying round was made in Nyon, Switzerland on Wednesday.

Galatasaray will have to see off the challenge of Dutch team PSV Eindhoven if they want to qualify for the group stage of the competition for this season. Both PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray finished second in their respective leagues to book their place in the second qualifying round of the 2021/22 Champions League season.

PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray are two of the six teams in the league section of the second qualifying round. FC Midtjylland of Denmark, Scottish Premiership giants Celtic, Rapid Vienna of Austria and Czech team Sparta Prague are the other four teams in the league route. Celtic have been drawn with FC Midtjylland, while Rapid Vienna will face Sparta Prague.