Iwan Roberts on Sainz v Huckerby and a Cardiff warning.
Borja Sainz’s brace against Middlesbrough has had me racking my brains trying to think of two better goals in a game from an individual.
Gabriel Sara’s wages at Galatasaray compared to what he earned at Norwich City.
Gabriel Sara has made an excellent start to life at Galatasaray after leaving Norwich City in the summer.
The two clubs agreed a £20m deal for the 25-year-old who spent two seasons at Carrow Road before signing a five-year contract with the Turkish giants.
It was a move that was perhaps frustrating for the Canaries, with Sara scoring 13 goals and assisting 12 times in 46 Championship games in 2023/24, helping his now former side to a place in the play-offs when they were ultimately beaten 4-0 by Leeds United in the semi-finals, keeping them in the second tier.
Nevertheless, he has taken like a duck to water in his new league, scoring twice and picking up five assists in his first nine appearances in the Süper Lig.
With his success growing, Football League World has taken a look at how much the Brazilian is estimated to be earning at his new club, and how that differs from his wage at Norwich.
Gabriel Sara’s wage has increased massively at Galatasaray
Although he was a relatively unknown entity before joining the Canaries, he quickly made a name for himself, particularly in his second season, earning him interest from Europe.
Therefore, it seemed unlikely that Norwich would be able to keep hold of the midfielder if they failed to win promotion, and even more unlikely considering the wage he was said to be earning at Carrow Road.
Gabriel Sara scores for Norwich City vs Leicester City
According to Capology, the 25-year-old was being paid £18,654-a-week during his time in yellow-and-green, although it must be stressed that this is only an estimated number.
This is way below his current approximated wage, with the website calculating his weekly wage to be £73,382 – a rise of over £50,000 every week.
It is an extraordinary rise if Capology’s calculations are to be believed, but it should come as no surprise considering that Sara is now playing in the Europa League, with his new side also top of the Süper Lig.
His talents are perhaps finally being rewarded financially, but Norwich fans will never forget just how good he was for them in his two years at the club.
Sara’s pedigree has continued to rise at Galatasaray
While he was excellent at Carrow Road, he has seemingly found another gear in Türkiye and is quickly becoming one of the most talented players in the country.
In his most recent match, he provided the two assists for his team’s goals against Beskitas, keeping his side unbeaten, while also extending their lead at the top of the table even further.
It’s a great testament to Norwich that they unearthed a hidden gem like Sara, but he has had to work hard to develop into the player that he is today, and at just 25 he still has plenty of years ahead of him to adapt and get even better.
The Brazilian has created the most chances in the Süper Lig with 18, he has the most assists in the division with five, and has also completed the most crosses by any player in his position, finding his teammates 14 times, as per FotMob.
