Can Uzun has clarified the first question about the future. The youngster from 1. FC Nürnberg will continue to play for Turkey. The DFB therefore comes away empty-handed.
Will not play for Germany: Can Uzun. IMAGO/Zinc
All clubs are fighting for the services of Can Uzun, who started this season at 1. FC Nürnberg. The only 18-year-old has 15 goals and three assists in 23 appearances in the cup and league; staying at the club beyond the summer is already out of the question due to his great desire.
It was also unclear who Uzun would play for next season, but his decision as to which country the German-Turk wanted to play for in the future was also unclear. The native of Regensburg played for Turkey throughout his youth, but the DFB also recently tried to recruit Uzun because of his strong performances. A DFB delegation led by sports director Rudi Völler recently traveled to Nuremberg to get to know the attacking midfielder and show him a perspective.
Ultimately, that certainly didn’t make Uzun’s decision any easier, as he took a long time. The Central Bavarian newspaper Uzun recently emphasized that he would decide “not against, but for a national team” and to go there “that my heart and my gut say is right.”
Uzun’s clear goal
On Monday, two days after he scored the club’s victory over Braunschweig with his penalty, Uzun made his decision public on Instagram. The youngster will continue to play for Turkey, so the DFB will come away empty-handed. In an interview with Sky Uzun explained his choice. “I’ve talked a lot about it with my family and my closest friends over the past few months and listened to their opinions on it. Ultimately, I made a very personal decision from the heart,” said Uzun.
The door is therefore open for participation in the European Championships in Germany this summer – a big goal for Uzun. “Hamit Altintop and Vincenzo Montella made it clear to me that I would be there if I continued to perform well at 1. FC Nürnberg.” Before that, Turkey still has a few international matches coming up. In March we will play against Hungary and Austria, and shortly before the European Championship we will test against Italy. Uzun will most likely make his senior national team debut in the coming period.