Arda Turan to join Galatarasay; ending controversial Barcelona stay

Arda Turan will join Turkish giants Galatasaray this summer when his contract at Barcelona officially expires.

Diario Sport cite reports from Turkey that a deal has already been agreed, with Gala chairman Mustafa Cengiz influential behind the agreement with coach Fatih Terim a long-term friend of Arda.

The midfielder joined Istanbul Basaksehir on a two-and-a-half-year loan deal in January 2018 from the Catalan giants, but the deal was cut short in January and whilst he remains contracted to Barcelona, he has not returned to the club – who continue to pay his wage.

Arda has become more famed for his off-field ill-discipline and in September he was jailed for two years and eight months in his native Turkey.

However, due to saying that he will not appeal the sentence – he was not put behind bars unless he commits another crime within the next five years – as reported by Marca.

The former Turkey international was recently involved in an altercation which left pop star Berkay Sahin with a broken nose at an Istanbul nightclub, with the player later allegedly brandishing a gun.

He subsequently faced a number of charges including sexual harassment, inflicting intentional injuries and shooting a firearm in a way to cause panic, along with carrying weapons without a license.

“I have full confidence in justice and that Arda Turan will serve his sentence,” Berkay’s lawyer said in a statement in Daily Sabah back in October last year.

Berkay’s wife Ozlem Ada Sahin told media outlet Haberturk that Arda had made suggestive comments to her before later attacking her husband.

Arda, a 33-year-old midfielder who previously played for Atletico Madrid, reportedly then took a gun to hospital and told Berkay he was unaware the woman was his wife and asked the singer to kill him.

In October last year, Istanbul Basaksehir fined the player €370k due to ‘behaviour and attitude not compatible with the club’s ethics’ but retained the player’s contract.

Arda was banned for 16 matches in May 2018 after punching a linesman.

Tags Arda Turan Galatasaray
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