The story of Arda Turan
Arda Turan arrived from Galatasaray in 2011, captain of his club and already a star in Turkey. In a team built on running and pressing, he brought something different: the ability to keep the ball in tight spaces, dribble past players and find the pass nobody else had seen.
Four trophies in four seasons
Arda played on the left of Simeone's midfield, but he drifted wherever the game needed him. He won the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup in 2012, the 2013 Copa del Rey and La Liga in 2013–14, and played in the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon. His goals were often spectacular, and his celebrations made him a favourite at the Calderón.
Legacy
He left for Barcelona in 2015. For supporters who watched the first great Simeone team, Arda was the player who added art to the effort, proof that the side could play beautiful football as well as fight.
