Former Blackpool star Ludovic Sylvestre has revealed he rejected several offers from other English clubs to join Rizespor.
Sylvestre has joined Rizespor on a free transfer after rejecting a new deal at Blackpool.
Crystal Palace and Leicester City are both thought to have made offers for Sylvestre, while clubs from Russia and Spain also expressed an interest in the former Barcelona man.
However, Sylvestre is happy with his decision to snub rival interest to move to Turkey.
"I am very happy to be joining Rizespor," Sylvestre told Sky Sports. "My agent had presented me with several offers including those from England, Russia and Spain.
"However after learning about the big ambitions of Rizespor's owner and manager as well as their determination to sign me, I knew this was the right move for me.
"I am now looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and competing in the Turkish Super Lig."
Sylvestre's agent, Christian Emile, admits Rizespor's ambitions helped persuade the player to resist overtures from other suitors to make the move to Turkey.
"Ludovic will join Rizespor from 1st July," Emile told Sky Sports. "Given his quality and performances during his time in England, it came as no surprise that we received many offers for his services.
"After considering all the propositions carefully it was decided that a new challenge abroad with Rizespor was the most interesting for Ludovic.
"They showed us their hunger for more success following promotion to the top flight and presented a good vision for both the club and player going forward."
The Buddies youngster kept himself ticking over during the summer by teaming up with older brothers Stephen and Paul for lung-bursting work-out sessions.
Stephen, 24 - also a former Saints player - was this week snapped up by new Sheffield United boss David Weir, while 22-year-old Paul quit the Paisley side at the end of the season after failing to break into Danny Lennon's team and is now on First Division Dumbarton's books.
And the youngest McGinn claims the three siblings' competitive edge has worked wonders for his fitness levels.
John - who returned to pre-season training with St Mirren yesterday - said: "Stephen, Paul and I have been going to the gym together and going for runs to keep ourselves fit during the summer
"The two of them are both naturally really fit but I need to work hard to keep on top of it. But having the two of them beside me made it a bit easier to push on a bit.
"The sibling rivalry came out and we all ended up pushing the pace up on the treadmill. It's good to have that competition to see who is the fittest."
And the 18-year-old Scotland youth international says he's been hitting the weights too in a bid to make sure he doesn't get pushed around in the new Scottish Professional Football League top flight.
"The gym work is massive because you are playing against such big players," he said. "There are guys in the league that are powerhouses. The midfield in Scotland is all about the rough and tumble - you have to earn the right to play.
"To compete with these guys you have to keep up on your upper body work in the gym.
"Big Victor Wanayma at Celtic is solid, as is Efe Ambrose. He doesn't look it but he is really strong. And there are other guys in the league who are building themselves up massively. John Rankin at Dundee United is probably the strongest guy I have played against.
"You wouldn't notice him normally but trying to get the ball off him in a 50-50 is a struggle. So that all shows that you have to take care of yourself in that department.
"The gaffer is very good at bringing the young lads in and giving us updates on how we are doing. Early on he said I was looking a bit lightweight and said he wanted to see me in the gym as much as possible.
"There are guys in our dressing room who will help on that front. The older guys like Jim Goodwin, Gary Teale and Lee Mair are in the gym every day and I know if I can get strong now I won't have to do as much later on in my career."
McGinn made his first-team debut in a 5-0 defeat to Celtic last October before helping the Buddies win the Scottish Communities League Cup six months later with a 3-2 win over Hearts.
St Mirren have brought in Dundee playmaker Gary Harkins as well as former Hull youth Kealan Dillon ahead of the new season but McGinn says he will have to keep improving if he is to avoid being muscled out of Lennon's team.
"This season is just as big as my first, if not bigger, because the manager has now brought in Gary Harkins and we still have Paul McGowan and Kenny McLean too," said McGinn.
"Just because I had a good second half of the season, it doesn't mean I'm going to keep my place in the team. I need to earn it.
"I need to prove I'm not just a young boy anymore and try to install myself as a regular in the side."
