€30m Market Value Increase
©IMAGO
Türkiye is renowned for its enthusiastic football fanbase, evidenced by their remarkable support during Euro 2024. For many, football is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. The country’s major clubs, notably Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, enjoy immense popularity, which is reflected in their profiles on Transfermarkt in 2025.
Despite the fervent backing of fans and the vast talent pool, Türkiye often struggles to nurture exceptional young players, with two notable exceptions: Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız. While Yıldız didn’t contribute goals at Euro 2024, Güler impressed with a brilliant goal in the opening match and delivered two assists. Yıldız’s progress at Juventus has been promising over the past two seasons, yet following the recent Transfermarkt update for LaLiga, he has lost his status as Türkiye’s most valuable player.
The Most Valuable Turkish Players in History
Yıldız received a significant €25m increase in his market value during the last Serie A update, but he has now been surpassed by his fellow countryman Güler, who has garnered substantial praise this week. Güler’s outstanding performances for Real Madrid this season have led to an exceptional €30m increase in his market value. Consequently, the 20-year-old talent not only stands as the most valuable player in his age group and the fifth most valuable player at Madrid, but he has also become the highest valued player in the history of Turkish football.
The graphic above shows that both players have significantly outperformed their peers in terms of market value. Güler’s new valuation makes him twice as valuable as third-place Hakan Çalhanoğlu, whose peak market value was €45m in 2024. Similarly, former Leicester City defender Çağlar Söyüncü also reached €45m in 2021, alongside Eintracht Frankfurt’s attacking midfielder Can Uzun, who is poised to close the gap on both Yıldız and Güler if he continues his development in the Bundesliga.
