Best Turkish Players To Have Played In The EPL

The English Premier League is a melting pot full of different nationalities. The majority of the best players in the top-flight in England were born outside of the British isles, which means the biggest clubs often look outside of the league to find the best new players at a good value.

Down the years, Turkish players have made their mark on the most competitive league in the world, and that is a trend that continues to this day. Crystal Palace recently brought in Cenk Tosun to help solve their striking dilemma, while Caglar Soyuncu has been gaining praise for his performances for Leicester City. Punters can take advantage of these two players and their talents by using this registration code before betting on the Eagles or Foxes to win this season.

However, they will still have some way to go before they can be mentioned in the same breath as these real football players, and their careers in the Premier League.

Tugay

There is no doubting the best Turkish player to have played in the Premier League. That honour falls firmly on the shoulders of former Blackburn midfielder Tugay. He started his career with Galatasaray, before moving to Rangers in 1999. After two years in Scotland, he was signed by Blackburn for a fee of £1.3 million.

He quickly became a firm favourite with the fans at Ewood Park for his astounding precision passing, and his ability to score magnificent goals from outside the area. He was named the club’s 2003-04 player of the season and was regarded as one of the most talented midfielders in the league.

In his final game against West Bromwich Albion, he was given a standing ovation from all corners of the ground. His effort against Portsmouth in 2008 also made him the fourth oldest player to score in the division. Since retiring, he has enjoyed coaching roles at Manchester City and Galatasaray. There will never be another Turkish player as talented as Tugay in the Premier League.

Muzzy Izzet

Despite being born in England, Muzzy Izzet went on to enjoy an excellent international career with Turkey since his father was Turkish. He started his career with Chelsea, but he was released without making a senior appearance. The majority of his English career was spent in the Midlands with Leicester City and Birmingham City.

During his first full season with the Foxes, he was a regular in the starting eleven as they secured survival and went on to win the League Cup. The departure of Martin O’Neill left a mark on him, as he failed to reach his performance levels of that first season. He finally left the club after the 2003-04 season when they were relegated into the Championship.

Birmingham City made their move, but his time at St Andrew’s was plagued with injuries. He only made 26 appearances in two years at the club and scored once. He left the Blues in 2006, but he went on to play for one final season with non-league Thurmaston Town.