Hakan Calhanoglu: Bayer Leverkusen player banned for Trabzonspor contract dispute

Calhanoglu is a regular in Bayer Leverkusen's team and is seen as an expert in free-kick situations

Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has been banned for four months for breach of contract.

Turkish club Trabzonspor lodged a claim with Fifa in 2013 that Calhanoglu had agreed to sign for them from Karlsruhe in 2011, but he stayed in Germany.

Fifa ruled in favour of Trabzonspor and after appeal the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the decision.

Calhanoglu, 22, will now miss the rest of the season and must pay Trabzonspor a fine of 100,000 Euros (£85,900).

Leverkusen sports director Rudi Voeller said the club "cannot comprehend" the decision, adding it was a "big blow for Hakan and us".

"Although Bayer Leverkusen had nothing to do with this it is also punished," added Voller, 56. "Now we will miss an important player during a key part of the season."

At the time of the approach from Trabzonspor, Calhanoglu would have been 17. He eventually left Karlsruhe to join Hamburg in 2013, before joining Leverkusen in 2014.

Calhanoglu, who has seven goals for Leverkusen this season, will miss Champions League matches against Atletico Madrid and is also suspended for Turkey's World Cup qualifying match at home against Finland on March 24.