ROME
Italian Serie A team AS Roma has recruited on loan Turkish club Fenerbahce's 20-year-old midfielder Salih Ucan on Monday night.
According to AS Roma, Salih Ucan was loaned for two seasons for a 4.75 million euro (US$6.4 million) transfer fee; in his third season AS Roma may purchase him for 11 million euros as a future fee. The Turkish player's salary in his new club was not revealed.
Salih told reporters that he was glad about his move to AS Roma and thanked Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim, AS Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini and head coach Rudi Garcia.
During his term with the Italian club, Salih will be wearing the number 48 shirt.
His new teammate from AS Roma, Italian goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis (who played for Turkey's Galatasaray in 2008-09) welcomed the club's first Turkish arrival by speaking to him in Turkish.
Regarded as one of the significant players of the future, Ucan scored four goals in 43 appearances for Fenerbahce over two seasons.
Salih was regarded as one of the emerging talents of the 2012-13 European competition, and was included in the UEFA Europa League’s ‘Rising Stars List’.
During the 2012-2013 season, Ucan, who scored a crucial goal for Fenerbahce against Czech side Viktoria Plzen in Round 16, drew the attention of many football clubs thanks to his ability despite his young age.
www.aa.com.tr/en