Nuri Sahin joins Liverpool from Real Madrid on season-long loan
Last updated on .From the section Football
Liverpool have completed the signing of Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin on a season-long loan after Arsenal ended their interest.
The Reds offered to pay a larger proportion of the 23-year-old's £115,000 a week wages, swinging the deal in their favour.
Sahin, who has 31 caps for Turkey, has passed a medical ahead of Sunday's match against Manchester City.
"I hope it will be a nice year with trophies," said Sahin.
Sahin had been expected to join Arsenal, having privately expressed a preference for the north London club. But the deal stalled when Real and Arsenal could not agree a £14m option to buy the player at the end of the loan.
Liverpool and Real then agreed a deal, with Sahin's agent meeting Liverpool officials earlier in the week to agree terms.
"It makes me proud to have joined such a big club like Liverpool," added Sahin.
"After the first conversation we had, I was left impressed by [manager] Brendan Rodgers. He told me about how he wants to play football and what the goals are he wants to reach with Liverpool.
"I am looking forward to meeting the fans."
Real boss Jose Mourinho had given the go ahead for Sahin to move to the Premier League after the playmaker struggled to make an impression at the Bernabeu since a move from Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund last summer.
Sahin signed a six-year deal with the La Liga outfit but made just 11 appearances for them last season as they won the Spanish league title.
In an interview on Liverpool's website, Sahin revealed he was at the Ataturk Stadium when Liverpool came from 3-0 behind to beat AC Milan on penalties and win the Champions League in 2005.
"That year, I won the European under-17 championship with Turkey, so we were invited by the Turkish Football Federation to watch the game," he said.
"We were sitting near to where the Liverpool fans were and it was just a crazy, crazy night. It was then I saw what football and Liverpool Football Club means to the people."
Rodgers said he was thrilled to have secured Sahin's signature for the season.
"We are delighted to welcome Nuri to Liverpool and also to say thank you to Real Madrid for loaning us such an exciting talent," said the Liverpool manager.
"Nuri Sahin is a player with great technique and motivation and someone who will fit in smoothly to our playing model."
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Nuri is an exceptionally talented player & I predict he will help Liverpool get back to success. You are lucky Liverpool as Dortmund would have loved to have kept him but the offer from Madrid was to good to refuse.
I wish much luck to Liverpool.
Liverpool are still a massive club with a history that is the envy of many English and European clubs alike.
Back on topic, Sahin is a wonderful signing and a player I'm really looking forward to seeing in the PL.
(Celtic fan, follower of Villa)
No great expectations for this season but would like to see the team enjoying their football. FSG stated that Brendon is the man and so they need to support him. The club needs stability more than anything else.
I hope Adam moves on, Carroll and Sterling get regular starts, and that some of the pressure is taken off of Gerrard.
Shelvey did a pretty good job today. And your previous comment about the amount of midfielders could also be said of MU but at least we are trying to address the correct areas with signings.
And I think we might have done Chelsea more of a favour today than your lot.
Early Days of course!!!
(who was the numpty who thinks LFC will get relegated after 1 game?)
Midfield is clearly crucial to BR's game plan and if they can create better quality chances then who's to say Suarez won't rediscover his immense Ajax form?
Being a United fan my comments will I'm sure be disregarded but in my opinion Shelvey is not even good enough for Liverpool reserves, never mind anything else.
Him and Spearing offer absolutely nothing your average Championship midfielder does.
Not sure why Arsenal wanted him, he certainly is not a player that they need. As many have said they need a more defensively minded player.
I can see M'Vila heading to the Emirates.
"It should have been men v boys ....but the boys outbattled em ..."
You very conveniently ignore the very young & inexperienced team fielded by LFC! The yoingest player on the pitch was Raheem Sterling (2 months younger than Patterson).
Clearly the tie is not over though, as there is only one goal in it, good luck to Hearts.
Yes, we lost one game and therefore we will definitely be relegated.
Man... I'm glad people like you aren't LFC fans - we don't need any more knee-jerk haters who decide everything is going to hell after one game of the season. Patience, calm, commitment to passing football. Not panic after one defeat. The Liverpool Way.
LFC will take some time, but come mid-season, we'll be looking good.