Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis has completed a season-long loan move from Premier League Nottingham Forest to Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
Dennis, 25, arrived from Watford last summer and scored twice in 25 appearances for Steve Cooper’s side.
The Nigerian traveled to Turkey Friday to complete his loan move, as the Turkish Super Lig transfer window closed on Friday, 15th of September 2023.
He later passed a medical in Istanbul and put pen to paper. Meanwhile Nottingham Forest approved the loan deal with salary covered but no buy option as the only clause in the deal.
Bonaventure was reported to have interest from both Russia and Saudi Arabia but has chosen Istanbul as his destination for the 2023-24 season.
The former Watford forward who was given jersey 99 expressed his delight after completing the move.
“My first encounter with Başakşehir was when Club Brugge played against them in qualification for the Champions League,” Dennis told the club’s official website.
“My big brother, Emmanuel Adebayor, played the game as well, so we had a conversation after the game and he invited me later to Istanbul.
“I met him here, we relaxed, went to his house together, spent the whole day together. He told me a few things about the club.
“It was just in my head and then recently I received a message from my agent that the club were interested in me.
“I said it’s a nice place, I’m familiar with them because I’ve been to the stadium, I have played against them, I’ve had few friends who played here, they always tell me good stories about the people, the club, so I decided to come here.”
Basaksehir finished fifth in the Super Lig last season, but they have lost their opening three games of the new season without scoring a goal and sacked manager Emre Belozoglu.
Basaksehir is a major club in Turkey and has won the Super Lig title four times.
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