Europeans, Yilmaz for Magic: from champion of France to bomber of Turkey

In Turkey they have been asking themselves for a year: “How is it possible that he only arrived in great football at 35?”. Burak Yilmaz is the striker of Turkey, new champion of France with Lille: 16 goals in 28 games, one of them with a left foot from 30 meters. After bringing home the Ligue 1 he will try to amaze even at the European Championship.

Who is it

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Goals in every square: two times top scorer in the Turkish Liga, three times best player, 82 rings with Galatasaray, 86 with Trabzonspor and two years in China with Beijing Guoan. In his career he has touched Lazio twice, the first did not end well: after meetings, denials and sightings in the capital, Yilmaz’s agent brings the contract to Lotito to sign. Here we are? Actually no: “He asked me for two million more, an extortion”. It was the summer of 2013. Even the ambassador of Turkey took the field: “He told him to give him 15 million, but he doesn’t decide …”. Lazio will try again in 2015, but that’s no longer a thing. In 2019, however, it is done under Lecce. Problems there too. After about thirty goals against Besiktas he chose Lille. Champion of France. Who knows if it had arrived a little earlier in Europe.

Why take it

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Captain of the Gunes team, the oldest European coach (69 years old), Yilmaz is the second best scorer in Turkey with 29 goals: 5 in the last 4 games (including a hat-trick against the Netherlands). He is at his second international event with Turkey after Euro 2016 (three games and one goal). He is the reference point of the attack and comes from a great season. Against Italy it will be tough, but Wales and Switzerland are within reach. Good chance to qualify for the round of 16, so you can take it.

Why not take it

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The cost is high: 27 million. The unknown is medium. Yilmaz has always scored in his career, but has only played one international level event before this one. And only three more games in a European. In addition, in the national team he had some small moments of pause: the hat-trick with the Netherlands came after about two years of abstinence from scoring (the last in March 2019, against Albania). You can take it as an alternative to a big one like Ronaldo, Lukaku or Immobile.