Best XI of Turkish league players including Dele Alli, Mesut Ozil and Mauro Icardi after star names arrive in summer
TURKISH football has seen an influx of talent this window, with many former Premier League stars being added to their ranks.
Dele Alli, Juan Mata, Mauro Icardi and Lucas Torreira have all headed to the Super Lig in recent weeks, joining the likes of Mesut Ozil.
But who makes the league’s best XI? SunSport will give you our answer to the question.
Goalkeeper: Fernando Muslera
AT age 36 Fernando Muslera is one of the most experienced goalkeepers anywhere in Europe and his impressive performances for Uruguay alone make him warrant a place in this team.
Muslera has a complete understanding of the goalkeeper role and he helped Galatasaray to 13 clean sheets in 36 games last season – the joint best for any Turkish team last season.
Left centre-back: Romain Saiss
FORMER Wolves defender Romain Saiss was always a reliable player for the Premier League outfit, whether at centre-back or in defensive midfield.
He left Wolves over the summer and now plays for Besiktas, where he is yet to taste defeat after five games playing the full duration in each.
Middle centre-back: Marc Bartra
MARC BARTRA never really hit the heights he was expected to while still a player at Barcelona but after a couple of years at Borussia Dortmund he was then snapped up by Real Betis in 2018, where he stayed until joining Trabzonspor this summer.
He has developed his game to be a reliable centre-half and cultured on the ball, his presence was missed whenever he didn’t play at Betis last season, with eight clean sheets in the 22 games he started.
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Right centre-back: Sergio Oliveira
NOW admittedly Sergio Oliveira is not a centre-half but we feel is just too good to miss out on this team, given his numerous and immense qualities.
Oliveira is a veteran of a number of European campaigns and was a stalwart of Porto’s midfield for many years as he helped win three league titles before signing for Galatasaray over the summer.
Defensive midfield: Lucas Torreira
THE next player in our list also joined Galatasaray this summer, this in the form of ex-Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira.
Torreira has always been a tenacious midfielder, and when used correctly – something unfortunately only done sparingly during his time at Arsenal – he is among the best ball-winners around.
Left-midfield: Nathan Redmond
FOR some dynamism and work-rate we have selected Nathan Redmond at left midfield.
Redmond proved himself to be a Premier League quality player during his time at Norwich and Southampton, with his directness and industry staples of his game.
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Left centre-midfield: Juan Mata
THE Spanish magician, otherwise known as El Mago, truly defined what it meant to be a creative midfielder when at his peak.
Unfortunately, Juan Mata‘s time at Manchester United saw his peak years wasted on the wing, but his ability to pick a pass and remain calm under pressure confirms why he has a spot in this team after joining Galatasaray.
Right centre-midfield: Mesut Ozil
TALENT WISE Mesut Ozil could well be the best in this team, but his career derailed at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta before he moved to Fenerbahce in 2021.
Last season Ozil scored eight goals and added two assists to his record – and he still holds the record for most chances created in a single PL season – before moving on to play for Basaksehir this year.
Right-midfield: Bertrand Traore
ALONGSIDE him this season will be on-loan Aston Villa star Bertrand Traore, who we have selected at right midfield for similar reasons to Redmond.
However, Traore is a more tricky customer and when given the tools and room to succeed at Lyon Traore was one of Europe’s brightest talents.
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Attacking midfield: Dele Alli
DELE ALLI, like some others in this list, is a product of untapped potential and consequently, his career nosedived after a bright start.
A spell with Everton proved less than fruitful for him but the England star looked like he might be getting back to his best in his second game with new club Besiktas, scoring a trademark goal via a late run, before an injury stunted this bright beginning.
Striker: Mauro Icardi
Despite his struggles at PSG and off-field drama that never seems to be too far from him, Mauro Icardi is a lethal striker, and thus completes our team.
In four out of six seasons from 2014/15 til 2019/20 Icardi had four seasons of scoring 20+ goals, and the ones he didn’t saw returns above 16. He is waiting for his chance to shine at Galatasary after joining on loan, but should prove to be a big asset for the club.
Some honourable mentions who missed out:
(GK) Altay Bayindir, (GK) Ugurcan Cakir, Victor Nelsson, Leo Duarte, Leo Dubois, Patrick Van Anholt, Arthur Masuaku, Gedson Fernandes, Marek Hamsik, Nacer Chadli, Dries Mertens, Maxi Gomez, Wout Weghorst.