Galatasaray midfielder Aleksey Batrakov has rejected the idea that top players only move to the Turkish Super Lig to wind down their careers.

The Galatasaray star, who scored a brace in the 2-0 UEFA Champions League win over Stuttgart, made his point by drawing a clear distinction between Victor Osimhen and Mohamed Salah.

Speaking in an interview with Match TV (via HabersarKirmizi), the Russian international said:

“I can’t say that footballers come to the Turkish League to spend the final stages of their careers.

"Maybe Salah did that, but Osimhen definitely didn’t. He fights until the very end on the pitch.”

Batrakov’s comments come amid ongoing debate about the motivation of high-profile stars joining Turkish clubs.

Salah arrived at Trabzonspor in August after ending his long spell at Liverpool, while Osimhen made his move to Galatasaray permanent after initially joining on loan from Napoli.

The Super Eagles striker has been a central figure for the Istanbul giants since his arrival, regularly praised for his intensity and work rate even during periods of limited goalscoring or injury.

Batrakov, who has settled quickly into the Galatasaray dressing room, used Osimhen as the clearest example of a player still operating at full intensity rather than treating the Super Lig as a retirement destination.

Meanwhile, Osimhen is reportedly set for an extended spell on the sidelines, with his recovery from a recent knee operation expected to take up to five weeks.  

The 27-year-old sustained the injury during Galatasaray's 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Stuttgart on November 3.