Arda Turan: 'Mendoza can achieve anything - I used Dembélé as an example'

Shakhtar Donetsk head coach Arda Turan has revealed that the club had its eye on striker Gleiquer Mendoza even before he scored four goals against Dynamo Kyiv while playing for Kryvbas. Turan said he personally spoke with the new signing and drew a parallel with the career of Ousmane Dembélé. "When Mendoza joined us, I talked to him about Dembélé. It was a very good example. He was always a great footballer, but in modern football, decision-making and first touch are the two things that decide matches. They also define the difference between players. So we wanted to assess his progress in those areas. I showed him the example of Dembélé - the Barcelona version and the PSG version. He always had the potential to be one of the best in the world, and eventually he fulfilled it. A player who can score four goals against Dynamo can succeed anywhere in the world," Turan said. The coach also commented on other newcomers, calling experienced Oleksandr Karavaev a club legend with vast attacking decision-making experience, while describing young duo Bruninho and Rayan as players with a bright future.