YILDIRAY Basturk is confident he can recapture the form that once saw him regarded as one of Europe’s top midfielders – and believes he could be challenging for a start in around a fortnight.

The Turkish international hasn’t played a match yet this season, after being frozen out at German outfit Stuttgart, but he is adamant last week’s move to Blackburn Rovers could revive his career.

The 31-year-old arrived at Ewood Park on a three-month deal towards the end of the January transfer window but won’t be available for this afternoon’s trip to Stoke as he bids for full fitness.

But, having helped Bayer Leverkusen to the Champions League final in 2002 and Turkey to third place in the World Cup in the same year, Basturk believes he can still make a Premier League impression.

He said: “It is exciting. I have played in the Bundesliga for 13 years, that is a long time, and now this is a new challenge for me.

“I suppose people have forgotten me. When you don’t play many games, people forget you, that is normal. Only training was not good for me. I want to play games and we will see what will happen.

“If I didn’t have confidence in myself I wouldn’t have taken this FROM BACK PAGE challenge. I still believe. First I have to be match fit and I don’t think that will take me a long time. And then I hope I can produce what people know I can.

“Anything can happen in the next three months. I know the Premier League is the best league in the world and I just want to play games and help Blackburn have a good season.”

Basturk is now training with the first team, after undergoing a mini pre-season, and is expected to continue his fitness bid at Brockhall next week as Rovers’ first team take advantage of a spare weekend with a break in Dubai.

He insists though his injury problems are now behind him and hopes, once Rovers return, he will be ready to start featuring in the first team squad.

He said: “We have some very good players here. A good mix of young and experienced players and I think it is a good time to be here.

“I have enjoyed my time here so far. The other players have been very kind to me and I like the people in England and I am hoping to play games for Blackburn.

“Now I have signed here for three months and I am happy to be here. We will see what happens in these three months. I have still been in training the last eight months, no injuries but no games. That was the problem because I wanted to play.

“The team is going to Dubai next week, I am staying here and after that I hope to be playing soon.”