Ismail Jakobs addresses surgery rumors

Galatasaray’s Senegalese left-back, Ismail Jakobs, who joined from French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, spoke after the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers match against Malawi. Jakobs commented on reports suggesting he would need surgery. Here are the details.

Senegal defeated Malawi 4-0 at the “Senegal Abdoulaye Wade” stadium as part of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers. Jakobs, who played the full 90 minutes, expressed his happiness at joining Galatasaray. He stated, “Our goal for the new season is, of course, to become champions and to go as far as possible in European competitions. So far, things are going pretty well.”

Despite recent draws in the last two matches, Jakobs emphasized that they remain at the top of the league and have nothing to complain about at this stage.

On adapting to Turkey and Galatasaray

Jakobs, who was born and raised in Cologne, Germany, mentioned his familiarity with Turkish culture due to his many Turkish friends. He noted, “I feel very comfortable here. Although I’m not used to playing in Turkey, I’m used to being around Turkish people. I had many friends who supported both Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, so naturally, some were happy with my transfer while others were disappointed.”

He added that choosing to play in Turkey after playing in the German and French leagues was not a step down in his career, emphasizing that he feels content at Galatasaray, a team with international recognition.

Surgery rumors

Regarding rumors about his injury, Jakobs clarified, “I don’t have any injuries, and the rumors about me needing surgery are not true. I’m perfectly fine.”