Galatasaray completes signing of Lukas Podolski from Arsenal

Lukas Podolski reached a deal with Galatasaray on Saturday to officially bring an end to his time with Arsenal.

A day after announcing they were holding talks with the German international, Galatasaray made the transfer official and unveiled Podolski to the media.

The agreement, which was signed in front of supporters and media in Istanbul, will keep Podolski at the Super Lig club for the next three seasons after Arsenal accepted a £2.8-million transfer fee, according to the BBC.

“I am very happy to have joined Galatasaray,” Podolski said in a statement. “I have come to a winning team, one that competes in the Champions League. We will fight to advance as far as we can. Galatasaray fans have given me support over the years, and their warm reception influenced me a lot in this decision.”

The move follows a frustrating season as he split time with the Premier League side and Inter Milan following a loan move to the Italian club.

Podolski had originally seemed destined for a return to the Emirates Stadium after expressing his desire to fight for a spot on the Arsenal squad. But comments from German boss Joachim Low indicated Podolski's place on the national team was in jeopardy if he remained at the English club instead of finding regular playing time elsewhere.

After arriving in 2012 from FC Koln, Podolski was a regular feature during his first season with the Gunners, and even helped them capture silverware for the first time in eight years when they won the FA Cup in 2013. Arsenal's wealth of players in a similar role, however, saw Podolski's contribution decrease dramatically during the latter portion of his career in England.

He will likely get a chance to play regularly with the Turkish champions, and will get a shot to compete in the sport's most illustrious tournament when Galatasaray competes in the Champions League.