Arsenal forward Podolski completes Galatasaray switch

Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski has completed a move to Super Lig champions Galatasaray, on an initial three-year deal.

Germany international Podolski had been widely expected to leave the Emirates Stadium ahead of the new season, having spent the latter half of the 2014-15 campaign on loan at Inter.

Despite scoring just once in 18 appearances for the Serie A club, Galatasaray have paid Arsenal €2.5million for the 30-year-old, who has 125 international caps to his name.

Podolski arrived for a medical before being presented at a news conference on Saturday.

The former Bayern Munich forward joined Arsenal from Cologne in 2012 and enjoyed a fruitful first season in England, scoring 11 goals in 33 Premier League appearances.

However, he then dropped out of Arsene Wenger’s first-team plans, making just 14 league starts the following campaign before last season’s disappointments.

Facing the press for the first time at the Turk Telekom Arena on Saturday, Podolski vowed to help his new club to success.

“I [have] won many trophies…but I am motivated to win more,” he said.

“Galatasaray won the championship last year.

“Our goal is to keep the championship trophy and to go to the next round in the Champions League.

“I have followed Galatasaray before and I know already of the atmosphere created by the Galatasaray supporters.”