Arda Turan announced late Thursday that he was ready to return to the Turkish national team after discussions with its new coach Mircea Lucescu

Lucescu said previously he would aks footballer Arda Turan to play for the Turkish national football team again.

"The team needs him and he needs the team," the Romanian manager said.

Turan, who currently plays for Barcelona, had announced his retirement from the national team on June 6, in the wake of his assault on a journalist.

Barca signed him from Spanish club Atletico Madrid for €34 million ($38.3 million), making him Turkey's most valuable player of all time.

Turan debuted in Turkey in 2006 while he was 19 years old.

Considered a key player for Turkey, Turan scored 16 goals and produced 25 assists in 97 matches for his country.