Carew on board for Besiktas

Del Bosque 'delighted'
The Besiktas vice-president, Kivanç Oktay, confirmed today that the Istanbul club have paid €3.5m for the services of the player, who will earn €1.6m per year. Besiktas's Spanish coach, Vicente del Bosque, knows Carew well from his time in the Primera División and was delighted to have signed him ahead of "some other important European sides".

Signing contract
Valencia spokesman Manuel Llorente said that French club Paris Saint-Germain FC and West Bromwich Albion FC, the newly promoted English Premiership side, had also made bids for the 24-year-old, "but he told us he wanted to join Besiktas". Carew, who has played 38 times for his country, will sign his contract at a news conference tomorrow, after which he will fly to his new team's summer camp in Austria.

Transfer to Valencia
Carew first attracted attention with his performances for Valerenga IF in the 1998/99 season when he scored eleven goals in 24 matches. He moved on to Rosenborg BK where his 15 goals in 20 appearances earned him a €7m transfer to Valencia in 2000.

Loan move
Carew spent three seasons with Valencia, where he scored 20 goals in 84 appearances in all competitions. He was part of the team that lost the UEFA Champions League final to FC Bayern München in 2001 but spent last season on loan at AS Roma, where he scored seven goals in 26 matches. He leaves the Mestalla 12 months before his contract was due to expire.