Mario Lemina’s Wolves exit officially confirmed – he’s gone to a top European club for £2.5m

The lengthy Mario Lemina transfer saga has finally come to an end, with Galatasaray officially confirming they’ve re-signed the player.

Lemina has long been expected to leave Wolves during the winter transfer window. His future at Molineux being considered to have been untenable after a brawl vs West Ham in December saw the midfielder be stripped of the club’s captain’s armband.

Since that incident, the midfielder has been linked with a whole host of potential destinations. Saudi Pro League side Al Shabab were the biggest suitors in early January, but they opted to sign Glen Kamara from Rennes instead after little progress was made in negotiations with Wolves.

Al Shabab’s decision to drop out of the race left Super Lig giants Galatasaray a clear path to signing him on deadline day, with Lemina flying to Turkey before the deal had even been finalised.

Now, said deal has been confirmed, and Lemina has officially joined Galatasaray on a permanent deal.

Mario Lemina joins Galatasaray from Wolves on transfer deadline day

Galatasaray announced the deadline day signing of Lemina in a statement on their official club website, alongside Wolves.

The statement from the Wolves official website said: “All at Wolves would like to thank Mario for his efforts while at the club and wish him the best of luck in the future.”

Lemina took to social media to confirm his exit too, saying on Instagram: “Dear Wolves fans, today, it’s time for me to say goodbye. When I joined Wolverhampton on January 13, 2023, I never imagined how special this journey would be and how profoundly it would impact me.

“I will never forget the incredible moments we shared, nor the passion and energy you, the supporters, brought to every match. Those moments of joy and challenge have helped me grow not only as a player, but also as a person.

I will always be grateful for the love and support you showed to my family and me. I want to thank the club, the management, my teammates, the entire staff, and of course, you—the fans—for the trust you placed in me throughout my time here.

“Thank you for everything, And don’t forget to stay “together, as a pack”.”

Wolves sign Mario Lemina replacement in Marshall Munetsi

It’s been no secret that Wolves have been keen to sign a new midfielder during the winter window. The club were linked with a multitude of options throughout January including Johnny Cardoso and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and came within a whisker of signing Manu Silva too – the Portuguese midfielder opted to join Benfica instead.

The Old Gold eventually got a midfielder through the door on deadline day, agreeing a reported £16.6m fee in order to sign Marshall Munetsi from Reims.

Thanks to his ability to both play as a holding midfielder and contribute in the final third, Munetsi is seen by many as a perfect replacement for the outgoing Lemina.