NEWCASTLE UNITED'S second big-money signing of the summer, Emre Belezoglu, has revealed how Graeme Souness' infamous actions in Turkey nearly ten years ago helped persuade him to swap Milan for Tyneside.

Emre burst into the limelight at Galatasaray as a 16-year-old in 1996 and a year later he became a regular in Fatih Terim's side that eventually went on to beat Arsenal in the UEFA Cup final in 2000.

He endured a mixed four years at Inter Milan, where he was liked by the fans but was on the periphery in his final two years at the San Siro.

And now Emre, known as the Maradona of the Bospherous, has moved to Tyneside and suggested his memories of Souness' time in charge at Galatasaray during the mid-nineties convinced him to make the switch.

Souness controversially put the Gala flag into the centre of the pitch at city rivals Fenerbahce during his reign.

""I remember that very well! He was well respected by all the Galatasaray supporters for that," said Emre, whose family were massive fans of the club during the Newcastle manager's time in the Turkey capital.

"It is very important for someone to have trust in me like the manager here did.

"That made my mind up to come here. I also would like to say the chairman (Freddy Shepherd) and his son Kenneth made a very good effort for me to come here. That also affected my decision.

"I also believe this team can be successful in the Premiership. When all this comes together I made my mind up to come here. I am aiming to get in the Champions League with Newcastle."

Such is Emre's profile in Turkey that even the country's Prime Minister had his men trying to attract the Crown Prince of Turkish football to return.

It would have been easy for the 24-year-old to accept a move to Fenerbahce, where he knows the standard that is required, but wants to make an impression on the English top-flight.

"The Prime Minister is a football supporter and a Fenerbahce supporter but he never told me to go there.

"I heard things from the people around him but not actually from him," said Emre, who has discussed the move with Blackburn's Turkish defender Tugay.

"I am aware there are differences and difficulties here. I will do my best. Italy and the Premiership are very hard leagues but I will adapt myself as soon as possible."

Souness, hoping to attract a big-money striker to the club as well as a new defender, believes Emre will become a household name in the Newcastle midfield alongside fellow new-boy Scott Parker, the £6.5m buy from Chelsea.

"He is left-footed, and every team need two or three of them, and a strong player who I thought would become a very good player. He has done that," said Souness.

Newcastle face Dubnica in the second leg of the Intertoto Cup on Saturday and Souness is hoping to add at least two more new faces to his squad before the start of the Premiership campaign.

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