ISTANBUL, Feb 3 (AFP) - Turkish league leaders Fenerbahce will pay Manchester City 5.35 million pounds (7.76 million euros) over three years for former France striker Nicolas Anelka, the Istanbul team's website said Thursday.
It was the first official indication of the financial cost of the operation under which Anelka joins Fenerbahce for three and a half years, with an option for a further 12 months.
Fenerbahce made no mention of Anelka's salary, but the Turkish press has said it will be in the vicinity of two million euros (1.38 million pounds) a year, excluding bonuses.
Anelka will join Fenerbahce's strong attacking squad -- including Dutchman Pierre van Hooijdonk, Brazilians Alex de Souza and Marcio Nobre and rising Turkish star Tuncay Sanli -- which has the best record in the league with 44 goals scored and only nine conceded after 18 weeks.
The moody Frenchman has been included in the Fenerbahce squad that will travel to the Black Sea city of Samsun for Saturday's first division fixture against Samsunspor and may play his first game with his new team there, a club spokesman told AFP Thursday.
Anelka spent two and a half years at Manchester City, longer than at any of his four former clubs -- Paris St. Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Fenerbahce's German coach Christopher Daum told the club's satellite TV channel Wednesday that he was confident Anelka would make a major contribution to the team.
"It is both Anelka's aim and mine to have him play once again for the French national team," Daum said. "I am confident Anelka will find his place on the World Cup 2006 with quality players such as David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry."
Anelka, unwanted by France since turning his back on former coach Jacques Santini, arrived in Istanbul early Monday and had his first training session on Tuesday.
Fenerbahce lead the league with 46 points from 18 matches, four points clear of archrivals Galatasaray.
They won their first match of 2005 after the six-week winter break on Sunday with a 2-0 romp over sixth-placed Caykur Rizespor.
02/03/2005 14:46 GMT - AFP