Five up-and-coming Turkish teenagers to keep an eye on
Arda Guler (19) - Real Madrid
The jewel in the crown of Turkish football, Arda Guler is regarded as one of the most prestigious talents in the world. So much so, that after just one season of regular football at Super Lig side Fenerbahce, Real Madrid and Barcelona decided to battle it out for his signature, with the former eventually getting over the line.
A left-footed wizard, his ability on the ball is out of this world, and he recently showcased his jaw-dropping talent at EURO 2024. His wondergoal against Georgia was the stand-out moment, but he also racked up a number of assists with some stunning deliveries throughout the tournament.
He has yet to get consistent minutes at Real Madrid, however, he still became the fastest player in club history to get six LaLiga goals, coming in just 330 minutes. Should he get more playing time under Carlo Ancelotti this season, he is sure to impress.
Kenan Yildiz (19) - Juventus
Juventus showed just how much faith they had in German-born Kenan Yildiz at the start of the season as they handed him the number 10 shirt. An electric and exciting winger, Kenan is part of Thiago Motta's new youthful revolution at the Italian giants.
Kenan spent 11 years at Bayern Munich as a youngster, before moving to Juventus and eventually making his senior debut in 2023. He is yet to really bring his club form to the national team, but there is little doubt he soon will.
His close control and explosive dribbling makes him a tough proposition for any full back, as PSV witnessed first-hand in the Champions League this season. The type of winger that gets you up off your seat.
Semih Kilicsoy (19) - Besiktas
The first of two Besiktas players on this list, Semih Kilicsoy burst into life at the start of the year, and has made himself a key part of the Turkish giants. Compact in size but sharp and explosive in front of goal, Semih has all the potential to become a centre forward, despite starting his career on the left wing.
Besiktas are coming off the back of an extremely tough season, but Semih was one of their few bright sparks. After making his first Super Lig start in December 2023, he went on to score 11 goals and register four assists in the league, earning him his first national team call-up in June.
Despite starting the season under new manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Semih has found himself on the bench in recent games, perhaps unfairly according to many. He will now have to show his manager just what he is capable of over the coming months.
Can Uzun (18) - Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt moved to acquire Can Uzun from Nuremberg this summer after his rapid progress in the Bundesliga 2. The young attacking midfielder scored 19 goals in 32 appearances last season, with 16 of them coming in the German second division. His supreme form earned him his first call-up to the Turkey team in March, where he picked up his only cap so far.
Can is a real goalscoring threat from midfield, playing in the hole and using his intelligence to pick up dangerous positions where he can hurt opponents. As proven by his scoring exploits, he is a fine finisher, and despite standing at over six feet, he is able to move quickly with the ball and can skip past defenders with ease.
Germany were very keen on getting Can to play for their national team. But in the end, he made his decision, and Turkey will be all the stronger for it.
Mustafa Erhan Hekimoglu (17) - Besiktas
The biggest unknown quantity on this list, Mustafa Erhan Hekimoglu has just one senior goal to his name, scoring in the Turkish Super Cup win over Galatasaray at the start of the season. However, Besiktas are extremely excited by the striker's potential, and have been quick to show their faith in him.
Mustafa has played nine games already this season, including appearances in the Europa League against Ajax and Eintracht Frankfurt. A pacy, strong centre forward, he will clearly get plenty more chances throughout the year, and he will be able to showcase the talent that Besiktas are so adamant that he possesses.
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