Galatasaray sign Felip Melo and Umut outright

Turkish champions Galatasaray AŞ have made permanent the signings of loan duo Felipe Melo and Umut Bulut after both players impressed last season.

Felipe Melo cuts his ties with Juventus after a €3.75m fee was agreed for the former Brazil midfielder, while a €2.7m deal ends forward Umut's association with Toulouse FC. Both players will have three-year contracts, with the Turkish international's terms including the option of a further 12 months.

The pair played prominent roles in Cimbom's eye-catching run to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals last term, where they fell to Real Madrid CF. Felipe Melo made nine appearances while Umut featured in all ten games, scoring once.

The 30-year-old Felipe Melo, who has 22 Brazil caps, spent the past two seasons at the Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi, wracking up 63 Süper Lig outings, 13 goals and successive league titles. "I have never played more than two seasons for a club in my career before Galatasaray. They try to win trophies in every competition they play," said the ex ACF Fiorentina, UD Almería, Real Racing Club and RCD Mallorca man.

Former MKE Ankaragücü and Trabzonspor AŞ attacker Umut, also 30, scored 12 league goals in 27 games during his year on loan in Istanbul. Galatasaray will enter the UEFA Champions League group stage, with the draw taking place on 29 August.