Didier Drogba set for Galatasaray debut

IZMIR

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Galatasaray’s new signing Didier Drogba is ready to make his club debut as the Super Toto Super League leader takes on cellar-dweller Akhisarspor tonight.

Drogba and his teammate received a hero’s welcome from hundreds of Galatasaray fans at the İzmir airport yesterday. The Ivorian star paused to greet supporters while the club’s other new signing, Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, hurried to the team bus. It took almost half an hour for the team bus to leave the airport due to the exited fans.

Tonight’s game will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be officiated by Halis Özkahya.

Ivory Coast striker Drogba, 34, signed an 18-month contract with top-flight Galatasaray at the end of January and was given a temporary license by FIFA two days ago. He will reportedly be paid 10 million euros to play in Turkey with a bonus of 15,000 euros for every match played.

Galatasaray is due to play German side Schalke 04 Feb. 20 in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Drogba - a Champions League winner with English Premier League club Chelsea last season - is looking to re-launch his career in Europe and play at a higher standard than in China, with the aim of being at the next World Cup in Brazil in 2014.