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Podolski switches to Galatasaray

World Champion Lukas Podolski’s transfer from Arsenal FC to Turkish champions Galatasaray is perfect. The Turkish team confirmed the transfer on Saturday after the 30-year-old completed his medical at Bosporus, before signing a contract until 2018. Podolski was greeted by plenty of fans as he arrived at the airport on Saturday morning.

The 125-times Germany player is hoping that regular game time with Galatasaray will boost his chances of being in the squad for the 2016 Euros, after spending much of the last season on the bench at Arsenal and Inter Milan. Germany manager Joachim Löw recently suggested that Podloski needs to play between “30-40 matches” a season, “as two years without regular football wouldn’t justify a place in the Euro 2016 squad.”

“I’m happy to be here. Galatasaray are a championship winning side”, said Podolski at his presentation on Saturday afternoon. In addition, he emphasised that his family, who previously holidayed with him in the Turkish Riviera, are fully supportive of his new challenge.

The transfer fee for Podolski is believed to be around €4 million. He switched from 1. FC Köln to English cup winners Arsenal in 2012, where his contract was due to expire in 2016. Manager Arsene Wenger, however, was unable to offer him a guaranteed place in the team following his loan move to Milan.

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World Champion Lukas Podolski’s transfer from Arsenal FC to Turkish champions Galatasaray is perfect. The Turkish team confirmed the transfer on Saturday after the 30-year-old completed his medical at Bosporus, before signing a contract until 2018. Podolski was greeted by plenty of fans as he arrived at the airport on Saturday morning.

The 125-times Germany player is hoping that regular game time with Galatasaray will boost his chances of being in the squad for the 2016 Euros, after spending much of the last season on the bench at Arsenal and Inter Milan. Germany manager Joachim Löw recently suggested that Podloski needs to play between “30-40 matches” a season, “as two years without regular football wouldn’t justify a place in the Euro 2016 squad.”

“I’m happy to be here. Galatasaray are a championship winning side”, said Podolski at his presentation on Saturday afternoon. In addition, he emphasised that his family, who previously holidayed with him in the Turkish Riviera, are fully supportive of his new challenge.

The transfer fee for Podolski is believed to be around €4 million. He switched from 1. FC Köln to English cup winners Arsenal in 2012, where his contract was due to expire in 2016. Manager Arsene Wenger, however, was unable to offer him a guaranteed place in the team following his loan move to Milan.