Brentford have pulled off a transfer coup, securing the highly-rated Turkish midfielder Yunus Emre Konak from Sivasspor. The 18-year-old joins the Bees on a five-year deal, with an option for a further season, fending off interest from across Europe.
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Despite his defensive prowess, ranking joint-second for tackles won (44) and joint-sixth for interceptions (31), Konak is more than just a tackler.
His vision and passing shine through in the numbers. He’s played the most accurate long balls (52) among his Sivasspor teammates, and boasts a league-topping 86% pass completion rate for players with over 200 minutes.
Konak’s talent hasn’t gone unnoticed.
I picked Konak as one of “the 60 best young talents of world football born in 2006” by The Guardian last year. It’s no surprise Brentford, known for their shrewd scouting, snapped him up.
Konak is a versatile no.6 with strong defensive and attacking attributes. The powerful central midfielder is strong in the tackle but also possesses a passing range and the ability to read the game of a player far more experienced.
He has a dominating presence in midfield, a calm demeanour, and does not panic under pressure. The hard-working midfielder closes down the opposition well, tackles hard, but also has a creative flair.
He is the archetypal modern central midfielder; technically gifted with the ability to read the game.
It has been a surprise seeing just how dominant he has been in such a technically and physically demanding position, but he has coped remarkably well.
It is also impressive how mature Konak is for his age. Konak has had a meteoric rise moving from the Batman Tuprasspor academy in the Turkish academy league to Sivasspor in March 2023 and has already gone on to become a star player.
This dynamic midfielder, with his blend of defensive grit and playmaking ability, promises to be an exciting addition to the Bees’ midfield. Expect Brentford’s buzz to increase with Konak adding his sting to the Bees’ swarm.
I also wrote about Konak for the official Brentford FC website here if you want more information on him.
I wrote the following: “Konak is a versatile no.6 with strong defensive and attacking attributes. The powerful central midfielder is strong in the tackle but also possesses a passing range and the ability to read the game of a player far more experienced.
“He has a dominating presence in midfield, a calm demeanour, and does not panic under pressure. The hard-working midfielder closes down the opposition well, tackles hard, but also has a creative flair.
“He is the archetypal modern central midfielder; technically gifted with the ability to read the game.
“It has been a surprise seeing just how dominant he has been in such a technically and physically demanding position, but he has coped remarkably well.
“It is also impressive how mature Konak is for his age. Konak has had a meteoric rise moving from the Batman Tuprasspor academy in the Turkish academy league to Sivasspor in March 2023 and has already gone on to become a star player.”