Aziz Yıldırım criticizes rival Hakan Safi's election promises: 'Fenerbahçe has realities'

Fenerbahçe presidential candidate Aziz Yıldırım has sharply criticized his rival Hakan Safi's campaign strategy, accusing him of making unrealistic promises regarding player transfers.

Yıldırım, speaking on NOW Spor, directly addressed Safi's social media posts featuring footballer Merih Demiral. "If I wanted to, I could take photos with anyone," Yıldırım stated, adding he could even pose with the presidents of Real Madrid and Barcelona. He dismissed this as irrelevant to the club's pressing issues.

"The issue is not that," Yıldırım asserted. "Fenerbahçe has realities. Fenerbahçe has a debt of 200 million euros to pay by May 2027. We also have 40 players, 21 of whom are foreign. Making statements like 'I will do this, I will do that' without serious calculation harms Fenerbahçe."

He questioned Safi's approach, noting that Safi announces players but claims he won't sell clubs. "If you are interested in a player, you must reach an agreement with both the player and their club," Yıldırım explained. "I don't announce players to win elections. I don't feel the need. If I have to be president this way, I'd rather not be. I am not selling dreams; I am telling the truth."

Yıldırım emphasized the substantial financial commitment required for Safi's announced players, estimating an additional 200-300 million euros, bringing the total budget needed to 500 million euros. "Fenerbahçe cannot afford this. Fenerbahçe does not have this capacity. It cannot be done with words," he declared. "Hakan Safi should take it to the board and present a 500 million euro check. If there are signed agreements with the players, he should give them to the Board of Directors. These are actions taken to win an election. I am a realist; I cannot do it. Dreams and realities do not align."