Nuri Sahin ends Liverpool loan to join Borussia Dortmund

The Real Madrid midfielder has failed to impress at Anfield

Pa
Friday 11 January 2013 19:00 GMT
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Sahin celebrates a goal against West Brom
Sahin celebrates a goal against West Brom (GETTY IMAGES)

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Borussia Dortmund have re-signed former midfielder Nuri Sahin on loan from Real Madrid until the end of the 2013/14 season.

The 24-year-old, who has spent the last six months on loan at Liverpool from Madrid, was presented at a press conference in the Westphalian city today after passing a medical.

"I am delighted to be back home," he said. "My contact with the bosses, the players and the coaching team of Dortmund has never broken down over these last 18 months.

"I hope that I can help the team as soon as possible."

Sahin became Dortmund's youngest-ever player when he made his debut at the age of 16 years and 335 days and he was a key component in their 2010/11 title-winning season.

He was voted the Bundesliga's player of the year at the end of that campaign before being signed by Madrid that summer.

The Turkey international penned a contract until 2017 with the Spanish giants, although, hampered by injury, he struggled to break into the first team at the Bernabeu and was loaned out to Liverpool last August.

He made 12 appearances for the Reds, scoring three goals, before Liverpool agreed to end his loan spell and clear the way for him to return to Dortmund, where the German club's general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke hopes the midfielder will get back to his best form.

"We emphasised during our title celebrations in 2011 that Nuri Sahin will always remain a very special Borussia Dortmund player and that the door would always be open to him if he ever felt the desire to come back and play for us," he said.

"In the past few days, Nuri approached us with this wish, and we have made it become reality.

"We are very pleased to be able to welcome another player of his quality to our squad."

Sahin is not guaranteed a place in the Dortmund side, though, with Sven Bender and captain Sebastian Kehl forming a resolute partnership in the middle.

However, Sahin is just happy to be back and to have the chance to help the team, who trail Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich by 12 points.

"I've not come to steal somebody's place," he stressed.

"I know things have changed in the 18 months I have been away, but I am here to make my own contribution to Dortmund's future success."

Dortmund have also extended the contract of Germany international defender Marcel Schmelzer until 2017.

"Marcel is an important component of what is still a young side," said the club's director of sport Michael Zorc.

PA

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