Have many people heard of Trabzonspor's Uğurcan Çakır? Probably not.
The young Turkish player has been linked with many Premier League sides, including Leicester City, Liverpool and Tottenham. But many of their fans may be wondering who exactly he is.
And we don't blame you either. The Turkish Super Lig isn't the most common league to go watch when nothing else is on. So chances are you have never heard of Çakır in you life.
But we have you covered. Here's the full run down on the man heavily linked with a move to the Premier League.
Who on Earth Is He?
Well, Çakır is 23-year-old who stands six foot three inches tall.
He was born in the capital Antalya, but made his way through the Trabzonspor youth set-up. He made his debut for the club at 19 years old, but was then loaned out to their local affiliated club 1461 Trabzon in order to gain some experience.
In 2018, Trabzonspor's Onur Kıvrak and Esteban Alvarado both picked up injuries meaning that Çakır was drafted in. He impressed so much, that he became the club's second choice behind Kıvrak. However, Kıvrak would then go on to retire in January 2019, meaning Çakır was now the number one.
How Is He Performing in Turkey?
Excellently.
When he became first choice in the 2018/19 season, he helped Trabzonspor qualify for the Europa League with a fourth place finish in the league. He played 18 games in the Super Lig, and conceded 20 goals - which is pretty good.
This season, Trabzon have conceded just 20 goals in 19 league games - the third best record in the Super Lig this season behind champions Galatasaray and surprise packages Alanyaspor.
Is He First Choice for the National Team?
Actually, he's not.
Çakır has just two caps for Turkey, and is currently back up to Istanbul Başakşehir's Mert Günok.
Günok is a fantastic goalkeeper though, and has regularly produced heroics for Turkey. However, he is 30, and Çakır is undoubtedly the future of the national team. His time will come.
What are His Strengths and Weaknesses?
Genuinely, there is very little weaknesses to his game. Tall, strong and a fantastic shot-stopper. He is also great at claiming the ball in the air at corner kick. His presence in goal is reassuring for everyone around him.
However, he does need to improve his kicking. His playing out from the back and consistency of long kicking is sometimes not the best, but it is clear that he is making improvements and iron out this slight issue.
Which Well-Known Goalkeeper Is He Like?
Look, I'm not saying he's as good as Jan Oblak, but their playing styles are pretty similar. Oblak is a sensational goalkeeper and arguably the world's best, but he is also pretty traditional. He isn't the best in regards to playing out from the back, but his shot-stopping and pretty much every other aspect of his game is, well, perfect.
Çakır is really, really good at the things Oblak is, and is also not the greatest with his feet. However, the Turk is young and will be looking to improve that aspect. But at this moment in time, I'd compare him to the Atletico Madrid number one.
Which Premier League Side Should He Join?
First thing's first, this guy's got enough talent to play for a lot of Premier League clubs. In fact besides Manchester City and Liverpool, he probably could start for all of them. That's why he shouldn't go to Liverpool. Alisson Becker is first choice, and will be for a long time. Çakır won't want to be a number two for his whole career.
Spurs and Leicester are the two sides that make the most sense. Both Hugo Lloris and Kasper Schmeichel are 33 years old and coming to the end of their careers. Çakır would slot in perfectly in place of either one of them, and be number one for the foreseeable future.
Source :
90min
