With Crystal Palace winger Werfet Shasha out of contract this summer, the news has changed dramatically, with a host of Saudi giants reaching out for the olive branch. However, the 30-year-old Ivory Coast star opted for Turkish giants Galatasaray and was given a warm welcome on arrival, transforming himself from a fringe Premier League player to a superstar seemingly overnight.
Having trained with Crystal Palace since his childhood, Werfelt Sachs returned to the club in 2013 after a short spell at Manchester United, where he failed to make the grade. He has been with the London side for the past nine seasons. Despite being offered a contract extension of up to £200,000 a week (about HK$2 million) by Crystal Palace, Wifertsasha refused to stay with the team. At the same time, he also turned down the lure of an annual salary of £9 million (about HK$90 million) from Saudi giants Ainas and eventually chose to join Galatasaray.
Upon his arrival in Turkey, Werfet Shasha was courted by a sea of fans. Galatasaray held a grand introduction ceremony for him and interacted with the fans in a lively atmosphere. It is reported that he will sign a 3-year contract at Galatasaray with an annual salary of up to £8 million (about HK$80 million). As last season's Turkish Super League champions, Galatasaray will take part in next season's UEFA Europa League, which is one of the reasons why Werfetxa joined the club.
