Yusuf Yazıcı


Yusuf Yazıcı is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Lille OSC and the Turkey national football team.
An academy graduate of Trabzonspor, he made his senior debut in December 2015, aged 18, and made over 80 league appearances for the club. In 2019 he joined Lille for €17.5 million, including €1 million of performance criteria, the highest transfer revenue of Trabzonspor's history. He made his senior international debut for Turkey in June 2017.

Club career

Trabzonspor

Yazıcı was born in Turkish town of Trabzon. During his schooling at Trabzon Erdogdu Anatolian High School, he was part of the football team which was crowned World High School Football Champions. He then progressed through the academy of local side Trabzonspor and signed his first professional contract with the club on 21 December 2015. He made his competitive debut the following day, starting in a 2–1 Turkish Cup win over Gaziantepspor. Yazıcı made his Süper Lig debut in the new year on 2 February 2016, coming on as a second-half substitute for Musa Nizam in a 2–1 loss to Akhisar Belediyespor. He scored his first goals for the club on 8 May, netting twice and assisting another two in a 6–0 win over Rizespor. In dong so, he became the youngest player to score during the 2015–16 Süper Lig season at the age of 19. He ultimately made nine appearances across all competitions for the season, scoring twice as Trabzonspor ended the campaign in twelfth position.
Midway through the following season, on 22 December, he scored his first Cup goals for the club, netting a brace in a 5–0 win over Kızılcabölükspor. Following the exclusion of regular midfielder Mehmet Ekici, Yazıcı enjoyed an extended run in the first team the following year and in March was rewarded with a new five-year contract worth a guaranteed TL250,000 a year. He ended the month by scoring in a 2–0 win over Galatasaray, a match in which scouts from Premier League side Manchester United and the Eredivisie's PSV Eindhoven were present to watch his performance. Yazıcı ultimately ended the season with a return of six goals in 22 appearances across all competitions.
On 22 October 2017, Yazıcı received his first ever red card when he was sent off in stoppage time in a 1–0 loss to Yeni Malatyaspor. Later that month, he scored his first goal for the campaign, netting the winner in a 2–1 victory over Galatasaray. In January the following year he was named by UEFA as one of the 50 young players to watch in 2018 and went on to end the season having scored 10 goals and recorded 5 assists in 33 league appearances. The following season, he contributed four goals and three assists in 34 appearances across all competitions.

In 6 June 2019, Yazıcı was linked with Lille OSC according to press declaration by Ahmet Ağaoğlu, club president. Although Ağagolu's statement to avoid potential transfer of Yazıcı, on 6 July 2019, Gérard Lopez, president of Lille, stated that there is a mutual interest between the club and Yazıcı. On 14 July 2019, Yazıcı reportedly submitted his request to Trabzonspor management in order to proceed negotiations with Lille. On 17 July 2019, Ağaoğlu stated that he is not distant to a potential transfer of Yazıcı to Lille, however it is not in their agenda due to the fact that amount of offer is not satisfying at such stage. On 4 August 2019, Yazıcı announced on his Instagram account that he decided to leave Trabzonspor, in order to "represent Trabzonspor abroad successfully". On 4 August 2019, Trabzonspor reportedly agreed with Lille for transfer of Yazıcı, in scope of €17.5 million and 50% transfer fee right of Portuguese defender Edgar Ié. Yazıcı left the club on 5 August 2019, taking pertinent flight from Trabzon Airport to France.

Lille

On 6 August 2019, Yazıcı joined Lille OSC on a five-year deal. On 6 August 2019, Trabzonspor announced the details of the transfer, confirming a €17.5 million, including €1 million of performance criteria, making it the highest transfer revenue of Trabzonspor's history. He chose number 12 for his jersey. Substituted in on 68th minute, Yazıcı made his Ligue 1 debut on week 1 encounter of 2019–20 season against Nantes that ended 2-1 for Lille at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, on 11 August 2019.

International career

Youth

Yazıcı made his debut for the Turkey national under-19 football team on 25 February 2016 and scored the opening goal in a 3–2 loss to the Czech Republic. He later also represented the nation at U-21 level.

Senior

Yazıcı made his debut for the senior Turkey national football team on 11 June 2017 in a 4–1 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification win over Kosovo, and registered the assist for Turkey's fourth goal.

Career statistics

Club

1 Includes Turkish Cup matches.

International

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
110 September 2019Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova4–04–0UEFA Euro 2020 qualification