Newcastle United midfielder Henri Saivet expressed his pleasure at the opportunity of playing alongside Robinho at Turkish club Sivasspor. The 27-year-old had been of interest to the likes of Montpellier and Troyes from Ligue 1, but he opted to pursue a fresh challenge in Turkey with Sivasspor on loan.
The Super Lig outfit are said to have agreed on a clause in the Senegalese’s contract, which could potentially make his contract permanent at the end of the season. In a report covered by Fotomac, he said: “This is the first time I have been to Turkey. I am very happy. For me Robinho is a brilliant player. I am pleased to have a chance to play alongside him. I want our fans to support us and hopefully I can play good in the future.”
Saivet earned just three Premier League starts during his two years with the Magpies, but he will at least view his final one with some satisfaction. The 27-year-old cost his team dearly after his dreadful error gifted West Ham United a goal, but he made for his mistake with a sublime free-kick goal, which eventually contributed to the club’s 3-2 comeback win in December.
The ex-Bordeaux man will now get the opportunity to line-up with Robinho, who has been in the news for the wrong reasons of late. The Brazilian footballer was recently acquitted in a gang rape case in Milan, but with the appeal process still pending, and he has earned himself a fresh move in Sivas.
Robinho, who was once Manchester City’s marquee signing, made his debut off the bench over the weekend, but he was unable to prevent Sivasspor from suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Yeni Malatyaspor. The club are presently eighth in their standings with 27 points, 10 adrift of a potential European qualification spot.