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Turkish players in Europe 2026–2027Six prominent names combining young talent and European experience
Turkish players’ European careers take them to Real Madrid, Juventus, Inter, Brighton, Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart. These clubs offer supporters a chance to follow a range of roles: creating chances, leading attacks, working on the flanks and organising midfield.
This guide introduces six prominent players, their current clubs, the paths that brought them this far and the aspects of their game worth following in 2026–2027.
Club details reviewed: 1 October 2026.
Players and clubs at a glance
| Player | Club and country | Position and shirt number |
|---|---|---|
| Arda Güler | Real Madrid — Spain | Midfielder — 15 |
| Kenan Yıldız | Juventus — Italy | Forward — 10 |
| Hakan Çalhanoğlu | Inter — Italy | Midfielder — 20 |
| Ferdi Kadıoğlu | Brighton — England | Defender/full-back — 24 |
| Can Uzun | Eintracht Frankfurt — Germany | Midfield and attacking roles — 42 |
| Atakan Karazor | Stuttgart — Germany | Defensive midfielder — 16 |
This selection brings together players who progressed through Turkish clubs and others who grew up and developed their football in Europe.
Arda Güler: Real Madrid and growing responsibility
Arda Güler in his Real Madrid shirt.
Born in Ankara on 25 February 2005, Güler came through the Gençlerbirliği youth system before joining Fenerbahçe. He broke into their first team before moving to Real Madrid in 2023.
Real Madrid classify him as a midfielder, which helps put his career into perspective beyond his goal tally. Assessing a player in this position involves looking at how he receives the ball, chooses his passes, progresses attacks and moves into more influential areas.
What to watch this season:The responsibility he receives on the pitch. Where does he take possession? Does he help build attacks or operate mainly near the penalty area? How does his task change when he starts compared with coming off the bench?
Following a sequence of matches gives a clearer picture of his developing role than a single piece of skill or one isolated performance.
Kenan Yıldız: his Juventus pathway and return to action
Kenan Yıldız in Juventus training — archive image.
Yıldız was born in Regensburg, Germany, on 4 May 2005 and moved from Bayern Munich to Juventus in summer 2022. He progressed through the youth team and Next Gen to the first team, where the current squad lists him as a forward wearing number 10.
His career illustrates the value of gradual progression within a club: moving between levels of competition, gaining experience against professionals and then taking on greater responsibility in the senior side.
A dated update for 2026–2027:On 31 August 2026, Juventus announced that Yıldız had undergone successful surgery for a fracture at the base of the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. Rehabilitation was scheduled to begin the following day. The statement gave no specific date for a return to matches.
What to watch this season:Subsequent updates on his return, then how he is used and where he plays in attack. Once he resumes playing, regaining his rhythm and gradually increasing his minutes will be important parts of assessing his performances.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu: the experience of a deep-lying playmaker
Hakan Çalhanoğlu in his Inter shirt.
Born in Mannheim on 8 February 1994, Çalhanoğlu built his early career in Germany with Karlsruhe, Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen. He moved to AC Milan in 2017 and joined Inter in 2021.
Inter describe his development into a deep-lying playmaker: a player who helps direct attacks from deeper midfield positions. Passing, vision and control of the tempo are particularly important in this role, alongside his shooting and set pieces.
What to watch this season:How he handles opponents’ pressing, finds a route out with the ball and times switches of play. His choice between a safe pass and one that breaks through the opposition’s lines is also worth following.
Watching his movement before receiving the ball helps explain his influence: finding the right position can open an attacking route before he has even made the pass.
Ferdi Kadıoğlu: from Fenerbahçe to Brighton
Ferdi Kadıoğlu in his Brighton shirt.
Kadıoğlu began his career in the Netherlands with NEC Nijmegen before moving to Fenerbahçe in 2018. After six seasons in Turkish football, he joined Brighton in August 2024.
He has represented Türkiye at senior level since 2022, having previously played for the Netherlands’ youth teams. He was part of Türkiye’s run to the EURO 2024 quarter-finals and played every minute of their campaign.
What to watch this season:The balance between attacking support and defensive cover. Note when he moves forward, his relationship with the player ahead of him on the flank and his position when the team loses possession.
A full-back’s game offers engaging details to follow: providing a passing option, supporting on the outside or through inside channels, then recovering quickly to cover space. These actions reveal his contribution even in matches when he records neither a goal nor an assist.
Can Uzun: an attacking talent with several roles
Can Uzun in his Eintracht Frankfurt shirt.
Born on 11 November 2005, Uzun joined Eintracht Frankfurt in July 2024 after his time at Nürnberg. He belongs to the same age group as Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız.
He can play several attacking roles. At his Frankfurt introduction, he explained that he prefers to operate on the left behind the striker, while also being able to play as a centre-forward or in midfield.
What to watch this season:The position that gives him the best opportunity to influence an attack. Does he receive between the lines, move close to the striker or advance from deeper areas?
It is useful to relate his contribution to his task in each match. Playing behind a striker differs from leading the attack, changing both the space available and his responsibilities for creating chances and reaching goal.
Atakan Karazor: midfield experience at Stuttgart
Atakan Karazor in his Stuttgart shirt.
Karazor was born in Essen on 13 October 1996 and joined Stuttgart in July 2019. His previous clubs include Holstein Kiel, Borussia Dortmund and Bochum.
The club describe his development into a dependable presence in central defensive areas. His Stuttgart career spans years that included a return to the Bundesliga and the accumulation of midfield experience.
Stuttgart also documented his Türkiye senior debut against Bulgaria in November 2025, adding an international dimension to his European career that is worth following.
What to watch this season:His positioning in front of the defence, the passing routes he provides and his response to attacks after possession is lost. When he receives the ball, watch his choices: when does he play it back, when does he pass forward, and how does he help teammates escape the press?
This offers a different perspective from following a forward. An important part of a defensive midfielder’s work lies in organising space and making the rest of the team’s tasks easier.
A practical guide to following each player
The table below suggests aspects to analyse during the season. It can also serve as a reference when writing a match report or a monthly review.
| Player | What to follow | Useful detail for coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Arda Güler | Growing responsibility for creating play. | Where he receives the ball and how his role differs between starting and coming on as a substitute. |
| Kenan Yıldız | Return updates, followed by regaining match rhythm. | The announced return date, playing time and attacking position. |
| Hakan Çalhanoğlu | Organising attacks from deep. | Escaping pressure, switching play and passing forward. |
| Ferdi Kadıoğlu | Combining support and cover on the flank. | The timing of forward runs and his position when possession is lost. |
| Can Uzun | How his position affects his contribution. | Playing behind the striker, leading the attack or operating from midfield. |
| Atakan Karazor | Organising space and connecting defence with midfield. | Positioning, passing choices and handling transitions. |
What do these careers add to Turkish football?
Different pathways:
Güler and Kadıoğlu illustrate the route through Fenerbahçe to other European clubs. Yıldız, Uzun, Çalhanoğlu and Karazor show the contribution of football development outside Türkiye. Together, they offer a wider picture of the players’ backgrounds and experiences.
Different roles:
The six players span playmaking, attack, the flanks and defensive midfield. This range helps explain the options each can offer the national team, with their use depending on the coach’s system and the player’s condition at the time.
Club and national team connections:
Club football allows us to follow the development of skills and responsibilities, while internationals provide a different mix of teammates and roles. The relationship between the two deserves its own attention, particularly when a player’s position changes between club and country.
Discussion:Whose season are you following most closely? Which player’s developing club role deserves a separate feature in this section?
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