Turkish giant now has eyes for Neill
By Peter Kogoy
The Australian
July 07, 2008
AUSTRALIA defender Lucas Neill has joined Harry Kewell on the wish list of Turkish champion Galatasaray, according to weekend reports in the British press.
The West Ham United captain will be offered a lucrative deal to head to Turkey, according to The Daily Mail.
West Ham's Icelandic owners are said to be looking to slash their wage bill. Neill, reportedly the Hammers' top earner on $170,000 a week, could be considered excess baggage after the club signed defender Homar Orn Eyjolfsson.
But Neill's Australian agent and a key figure in a proposed second Sydney A-League team, Paddy Dominguez, rejected media speculation that Neill was about to be off-loaded.
"It doesn't make sense that a manager who brought Lucas to the club and has installed him as captain would look to sell him," Dominguez said.
"It would be very strange. Lucas' relationship with Alan Curbishley is good and he is relishing the role of captain."
Kewell's manager Bernie Mandic last night revealed former Socceroo Ned Zelic's role in getting him to the Turkish giant.
"Zelic was the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle," Mandic said. "He's a good mate of the club's German coach and after talks, the decision to get him to sign became very simple really.
"Galatasaray is the best club for him. Other clubs who were chasing him put up ridiculous health conditions."
Kewell says he is "thrilled to bits" at the prospect of playing for the Turkish champion after spending two days inspecting five schools in Istanbul for his three children. He has agreed to terms for the next two seasons.
But former Socceroo Robbie Slater labelled the move to Turkey as a "massive gamble".
"It's hard to figure out this move," Slater said. "For me, Turkey would have been the last place I'd expected to see Harry next season."
Kewell's move to the Turkish side hasn't gone down well with Leeds United fans.
The Socceroo, who will wear the No19 shirt in Turkey's Supa Liga, the same number he first wore when he played for Leeds against Galatasaray eight years ago when two United fans were stabbed to death on the eve of the match.
Leeds fans are furious Kewell has showed a lack of sensitivity by joining Galatasaray. But the player insists he is just concentrating on a new chapter in his career.
Kewell, who quit Liverpool at the end of last season, said: "It was a tragic thing what happened but we can't live in the past. We've got to look to the future and that's what I'm concentrating on. I gave a good nine years to Leeds and left on good terms. There shouldn't be any bad feeling."
Kewell, 29, passed up the possibility of staying in the Premiership by joining FA Cup winner Portsmouth to sign with the Istanbul club.
"They are a great club. They showed faith from the very start," Kewell said. "There were other clubs out there but they were persistent and treated me very courteously."
Kewell was also reported to be heading to Celtic, Italy's AS Roma or Valencia in Spain, but Galatasaray swooped first.
"I'm ecstatic, I'm thrilled to bits and looking forward to the new challenge," Kewell said on the club's website.
"I can't wait to join the team and get going. There's a lot of talk about the Turkish league, it's coming up in the world.
"The national team has done well in the last couple of international tournaments and there's a lot of young talent here.
"It's different and that's what I'm looking forward to - the new challenge.
"This is a new chapter for me, I'm looking forward to it."
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