One Step Away: Al Hilal's Youssef Akcayci Likely to Join Galatasaray

Turkish defender Yusuf Akçayışık is on the verge of returning to the Turkish league through Galatasaray, having reached an agreement on personal terms with the club.

Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu has revealed that Galatasaray has entered into official negotiations with Al Hilal to sign the 20-year-old defender during the summer transfer window.

According to Sabuncuoglu, Akcicek has already agreed to Galatasaray's offer, while Al Hilal has stipulated the signing of a replacement defender before giving final approval for the player's departure.

The future of the Turkish defender with Al Hilal is now linked to the club's ability to find a suitable replacement, as the club officials will not give the green light for his transfer before completing this step.

Akcicek joined Al Hilal in September 2025 from Turkish side Fenerbahce, in a deal worth around €22 million. He played 22 matches with the team during the last season.

The player has participated with Al Hilal in two matches since the start of the current season, the first against Al Khaleej in the Roshn League, and the second against Al Raed in the King Abdulaziz Cup.

Galatasaray is closely monitoring Al Hilal's position in the coming hours, with a clear desire to finalize the deal. Meanwhile, securing a new defender remains the only obstacle to completing Akcicek's return to Turkey.