BERLIN, July 4 ― Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has joined AC Milan on a four-year deal, leaving Bayer Leverkusen two years before the end of his contract, the clubs announced yesterday.

There were no official details of the transfer fee but German media estimated it was €25 million (RM122 million).

The gifted 23-year-old Calhanoglu has not played since February after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a four-month ban imposed by world governing body Fifa over his contract dispute with Turkish club Trabzonspor from 2011.

Trabzonspor lodged a claim alleging Calhanoglu had breached the terms of his contract without just cause when he signed for Karlsruhe in 2011. Calhanoglu was a minor at the time.

Calhanoglu was ordered to pay Trabzonspor €1,000,000. He joined Hamburg from Karlsruhe in 2012 and moved to Leverkusen two years later.

"The three years at Leverkusen were very emotional, Calhanoglu said in a club statement. "The support was outstanding especially during my four-month ban.”

"Now I want to start a new chapter in my career.” ― Reuters