Arda Turan, FC Barcelona's latest signing, is prepared for the challenge
The Turkish midfielder Arda Turan has stated that he feels "prepared for the challenge of playing for Barça" after a transfer that represents "the reward for hard work and the culmination" of his career, before sharing the dressing room with "the best in history" Leo Messi and his "current idol" Andrés Iniesta.
"Being part of FC Barcelona means a lot. My dream, the reward for hard work and the culmination of my career. It means everything. I'm prepared for the challenge of playing for Barça. I have great belief in my abilities and in the abilities of my teammates. I'm sure they will help me a lot to adapt," Turan confided in an interview on his new club's website.
The Turk pointed out that what "brings the most from Barça are their values". "It's clear that they set them apart from other teams. As players, these values, on and off the field, are the system, the aspect - what they transmit - the way of playing... In short, Barça is a team on and off the field," he summed up.
In addition, he confessed that he feels a "predilection for the Barça system and Luis Enrique". "My goal was to play here because it fits my philosophy of 'never give up', always believe in oneself and in one's team, always fight until the end. I will give my best to adapt to this system and improve day by day," he promised.
Regarding Leo Messi, he pointed out that he is "simply the best in history" and acknowledged that it is "an honor to wear the same shirt and play with him". "My idol has always been Maradona, but among the current players, it's obvious that it's Iniesta," said the former Atlético de Madrid player, who does not focus on goals or assists with his new jersey.
"My goals are not individual and not to surpass my previous numbers, but in this team, with these players, and this system, I'm sure I can do much more and greatly improve my statistics. The truly important thing is to integrate myself into the team and into Luis Enrique's system," he concluded.