PORTO striker Nabil Ghilas has reportedly rejected a move to Turkish side Gaziantepspor – as he fears ISIS.
The Algerian forward, 26, has spent the last two season away on loan at Spanish sides Cordoba and Levante after struggling to break into the first team at ‘the Dragons’.
Earlier on Friday, Portuguese paper A Bola claimed Turkish Super Lig side Gaziantepspor submitted a ‘great offer’ for Ghilas – only to be rejected by the forward himself.
Reports in Portugal claim the striker refused to proceed with negotiations as he is worried about potential future terror attacks – in both Turkey and Syria.
Gaziantepspor are based in Turkish city Gaziantep – located just 50 miles from the Syrian border.
The eyes of the world’s media have been firmly fixed on both Turkey and Syria in recent months amid increasing IS-related attacks.
On Thursday, the heart-breaking image of a five-year-old boy left bloodied and dazed following horrific airstrikes in Aleppo, Syria, spread like wild-fire, with many calling him the ‘human face of war’.
Also earlier this week, the German government accused Turkey of supporting Islamist militants in Syria – in a leaked document.
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They are just the latest in a host of horrific stories coming out of the region – and on top of that, Turkey is having its own problems.
Just last month, Turkey was involved in a military coup, as the nation’s army attempted to overthrow president Erdogan – ultimately failing.
All in all, the air of discontent in the region proved too much for Ghilas – who has opted to stay on at Porto as a bit part player, rather than take the plunge in Turkey.
Ghilas has netted just once in 16 league games for the Portuguese side, and just four times in 32 matches in all competitions – with all of those appearances coming in the 2013-14 season.
The striker has also earned eight caps for Algeria, netting twice since his debut in 2013.
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