The top four football clubs in Turkey have spent 188.6 million euros (about 250.5 mllion U.S. dollars) in signings over the current transfer window before the start of the 2013-14 season, Turkish Daily News reported Thursday.

Dubbed the seventh most lucrative football league in Europe, the new season of Turkish Super League will start this weekend, with Fenerbahce staging a bid to dethrone two-time defending champion Galatasaray.

Besiktas and Trabzonspor, likewise, spent big to join the title race. The total debts of Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, Besiktas and Trabzonspor during the transfer season amount to 188.6 million euros.

Fenerbahce made five new signings worth 29.3 million euros. The total cost of Emenike, who was signed from Spartak Moscow, reached 22.8 million euros. Alper, who arrived from Eskisehirspor, will be paid eight million euros over five years.

Fenerbahce has also extended its contract with goalkeeper Volkan Demirel, agreeing to pay him 10 million euros over four years. Defenders Michal Kadlec and Bruno Alves' costs to the club equal 10 million euros.

Defending champion Galatasaray spent 48.2 million euros in transfers. Galatasaray signed contracts with seven players, paying 12.8 million euros in transfer fees for three of them. Defender Aurelien Chedjou cost 16.3 million euros to Galatasaray, who paid Juventus 3.75 million euros for Felipe Melo and 2.7 million euros to Toulouse for forward Umut Bulut. The Lions will pay a total wage bill of 35.5 million euros to its seven transfers.

Other top Turkish clubs like Besiktas and Trabzonspor have also joined the transfer competition this summer, aiming to finish higher on the table of the next season. Endi

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