Fresh start for Xavier
Friday, January 24, 2003
Article summary
Portugal's Abel Xavier has joined Galatasaray SK from Liverpool FC on loan for the rest of the season.
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Limited opportunities
Xavier, who joined Liverpool from their neighbours Everton FC last January, will travel to Istanbul in the next few days to begin training with his new team-mates. The 30-year-old defender told uefa.com he was looking forward to the prospect of playing first-team football again after making only five appearances for Liverpool this season.
'A step forward'
"The key thing for me is that this is a step forward and not a step back in my career," he said. "Galatasaray are a big club, they are fighting for the title and were playing in the UEFA Champions League, so I am delighted to move to Turkey.
International prospects
"Liverpool have 24 international players and it is difficult to become the first choice. This is a chance for me to be back on the pitch again. I am also thinking about [UEFA] EURO 2004™ because I know that if I am playing my chances to be called up for the Portuguese team will increase.
Hopeful of fixed contract
"I know that Galatasary signed me on loan, but I was told by the club officials that if everything goes well, they will sign me on a fixed contract." Xavier, who can play both at right-back and in central defence, played for Portugal at EURO 2000™ and was in their squad for last summer's FIFA World Cup. He arrived in England in 1999 from PSV Eindhoven.
