OFFICIAL: DeAndre Yedlin Joins Galatasaray

DeAndre Yedlin has officially joined Galatasaray on a 2-and-a-half year deal. According to the club, he will make a salary of roughly €1.1 million each season and will be a free agent when he turns 30 in 2023.*

The deal was rumored to be confirmed yesterday barring a medical in Turkey but hit a few road-bumps on deadline day as Yedlin and Galatasaray worked on proper compensation for the right-back.

In Steve Bruce’s pre-match press conference he gave a little insight as to why DeAndre was allowed to leave the club despite him going on a run of matches where he was seemingly undroppable.

“Quite simply, we’ve had three right-backs, & I think DeAndre’s suited to playing as a wing-back. It’s no secret we’ve tried to change to a back four. I’d like to wish DeAndre the very best of luck. He’s a great pro.”

Yedlin leaves Newcastle after making 125 appearances for the club scoring 3 goals, and notching 11 assists. Yedlin was a key player in Newcastle’s Championship season and saw consistent growth throughout his time at the club. His exit felt imminent as Javier Manquillo continued to improve and Yedlin was seeing less and less time on the pitch. He had his shortcomings as a defender, but Yedlin always worked hard on the pitch and gave 100% effort regardless of the competition.

Off the pitch, Yedlin was well-liked by journalists, fans, and other players. Mostly known for his ever-changing hairstyles and dress of the pitch, Yedlin made waves last season when he let everyone know there was more to him than fashion when he was given a platform to talk about race. Yedlin’s navigation of conversations surrounding race and racism last summer was tasteful and well received by a lot of individuals.

Yedlin’s move to Turkey was a win for all involved. Newcastle open up a roster spot for a potential loan player, Galatasaray gain a player in his prime for virtually nothing, and Yedlin has the opportunity to gain playing time ahead of what is going to be a busy summer for the USMNT.

Yedlin joins Rolando Aarons as Newcastle’s only two departures this window. Newcastle have one open spot on their 25 man roster available and it appears as if Bruce is looking to loan another midfielder to fill that slot.

Best of luck to DeAndre, our mostly American staff here at Coming Home Newcastle will be rooting for ya!

* Author's note: Updated to reflect accurate salary and contract information.