However, Beşiktaş ignored this and did not renew Zan contract because the player, like Oliver Twist, asked for more -- 2 million euros. Zan thus became a free agent, and believe you me, the Lions acquired this experienced defender without paying the Eagles a dime.The signing ceremony took place at the Florya Metin Oktay facilities on Monday evening in front of several hundred cheering Galatasaray fans. Zan, looking relaxed, said: “Maybe this transfer happened suddenly, but it happened nevertheless. I felt really honored to receive this [transfer offer from Galatasaray], and there was no way I was going to turn it down. And I thank all those who made this transfer happen from the bottom of my heart.”
Zan also had words of praise for his former club, Beşiktaş. “I had good and bad days at Beşiktaş. But all said and done, I am a professional and therefore I must think and behave like one. I hope Beşiktaş understands why I decided to transfer. This is a point of no return, and from now on I will be doing whatever is humanly possible to support Galatasaray,” he asserted. Also present at the signing, where Zan was presented with the No. 5 jersey, were Galatasaray official Haldun Üstünel and a former player, Öner Kılıç.
Europa League qualifiers
The Galatasaray Lions, who won the Turkish title in 2007-08, finished a disappointing fifth in the 18-team Turkcell Super League this past season. This means the Lions will be playing in the second round of the paupers' Europa League qualifiers. Galatasaray, winner of the UEFA Cup in 2000, was pitted against Kazakh side Tobol in the qualifiers after Monday's draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Galatasaray, which beat Arsenal in the final to win the 2000 UEFA Cup, will start in the second round of the Europa League (formerly known as the UEFA Cup). The Lions will play away in the first leg on July 16, and the return leg will be in İstanbul on July 23.
The Lions, under new Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard, opened their 2009-10 season at İstanbul's Ali Sami Yen Stadium on Monday. But one player was conspicuously absent -- controversial Brazilian striker Cassio Lincoln.
Elsewhere, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray's century-old rival, signed 22-year-old midfielder Özer Hurmacı from Ankaraspor in a four-year contract. However, Özer will be starting three weeks late since he is undergoing minor knee surgery.
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