Galatasaray's Arda Turan vie for 200th Super Lig game

By Ercan Cakar

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish midfielder Arda Turan will be playing in his 200th Turkish Super Lig game against Hes Kablo Kayserispor on Saturday.

Turan, a Galatasaray youth team product, started his senior career at the Lions in 2004.

He spent over four seasons for Galatasaray, where he clinched a league title, a Turkish Super Cup and a Turkish Cup before moving to Spain's Atletico Madrid in 2011.

The 34-year-old has produced 35 goals in 199 Super Lig games so far.

The left winger played 150 games for Galatasaray, 34 for Medipol Basaksehir and 15 for Manisaspor.

Scoring 31 goals for the Lions, Turan produced two goals each for Basaksehir and Manisaspor.

Turan was shown 37 yellow and three red cards during his Super Lig career.

- Turan's Spain journey

Arda's career peaked in the Spanish La Liga, while he succeeded in moving Atletico Madrid and Barcelona to the top.

Atletico Madrid signed Turan in 2011 for a transfer fee of €13 million ($18.7 million), his first overseas experience.

He led Atletico to win the 2012 UEFA Europa League and 2014 Spanish La Liga title as well as a Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, and UEFA Super Cup.

In July 2015, Barcelona acquired him from Atletico Madrid for €34 million ($37.4 million), making him Turkey's most valuable player of all time.

Turan clinched the La Liga trophy with Barca in 2016.

In his two-and-half-year spell in Barcelona, he also bagged two Copa del Rey trophies, one Spanish Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Turan made his way to Turkey in 2018 as Basaksehir loaned him from Barcelona.

However, he did not live up to Basaksehir's expectations, scoring two goals in 39 games between 2018 and 2020.

Turan rejoined his former club, Galatasaray, last year as he scored three goals in 25 appearances.

Meanwhile, Hes Kablo Kayserispor will host Galatasaray at Kadir Has Stadium at 7 p.m local time (1600GMT).

* Writing by Emre Asikci in Istanbul