GSG SCOUT

Aleksey Batrakov, who transferred from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow to Turkish club Galatasaray at the start of the season, appears to have gone viral online with Soviet edits following his impressive performances. Photos and videos depicting the player in Soviet clothing and alongside Soviet flags are being shared thousands of times after the matches he plays in. It has also been observed that Galatasaray fans chant for Batrakov to the melody of Kalinka, a song internationally known particularly for the Red Army Choir's rendition. Due to the sanctions imposed on Russia, transferring footballers from Russian clubs to European teams has become significantly more difficult. However, as no such sanctions apply between Turkey and Russia, clubs in the two countries can transfer players between them in both directions.