Trabzonspor’s Yusuf Yazici is justifiably attracting the interest of many of European football’s elite outfits, with the likes of Arsenal, AS Roma, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Benfica reportedly among the interested parties.
A massively exciting attacking midfielder, the 21-year-old’s enjoyed a wonderful season in the Turkish Super Lig, with his blend of power and finesse catching the eye of many.
An unmistakable presence on the pitch, the man who wears the number 97 and who has an iconic ponytail, has been an absolutely integral component of his boyhood side’s campaign.
To start with, his dribbling is superb, and he uses this to breeze by his markers or buy time while he waits for an option. Moreover, his close control at speed when embarking on powerful runs, in combination with his strength and swift changes of pace and direction, only add to his menace here.
If in a tough spot, Yazici’s notably shown how effective he uses his 183 cm frame to protect and shield the ball from an adversary applying pressure, getting himself between the ball and the man. Indeed, this aspect of his armoury duly sees him excel when receiving with his back to goal and in tight, confined spaces.
Yazici’s playmaking qualities importantly extend to his passing, where the left footer’s persistently evidenced the poise needed to unlock opposing defences to create chances. In addition, his combination play under duress, awareness and vision ensure he usually makes the right call when confronted with pressure.
An intelligent mover to boot, which sees him exploit pockets of space within opposition structures, move laterally or vertically to create overloads to aid progression and to smartly manufacture space for others, this component of his game supplements the afore wonderfully. The below graphics demonstrate his clever movement, where his run draws his man with him to create space for Abdulkadir Omur to utilise.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Also accomplished at taking set pieces, winning aerial duels with notable athleticism (a unique asset for an attacking midfielder) and applying himself defensively, the Turkish international, who’s bagged a significant 10 goals and five assists, has certainly been one of the premier talents in the Super Lig this crusade.
By the numbers, his 2.2 shots per game, 1.5 key passes pg and 1.5 successful dribbles pg aptly accentuated his contribution this term.
A future away from his beloved Trabzonspor unquestionably appears to be on the cards, and with speculation suggesting he’d cost a reasonable £17.5 million, it’ll be a fascinating scramble to see who can secure his services for next season.
How well do you know English football? Want to challenge the best EPL Fantasy Managers? Play www.epl-fantasy.com now!
To leave a comment, you must be logged into www.eurofantasyleague.com