Kerem Aktürkoglu was one of many transfers on Monday, but his move to Fenerbahce Istanbul was probably the most controversial.
For a long time, Kerem Aktürkoglu’s career didn’t really seem to be taking off, so he spent a long time playing in the lower leagues. It was only his move to Galatasaray in 2020 that propelled him to the top. In four years, he played 138 games, scored 39 goals, and made 33 assists, celebrating the championship in 2022/23.
However, Aktürkoglu was both a source of hope and a scapegoat. At the end of his time at Galatasaray, the shine had worn off a little – at least that’s how many fans and experts saw it. Ultimately, the separation came, and Benfica secured the services of the attacking player for €12 million.
Even though he was a regular at Galatasaray, he was still highly regarded and even loved by passionate fans after his departure. Not only for nostalgic reasons because of his dribbling, speed and team spirit, with which he had enchanted fans during his time at the club. He also repeatedly and vocally declared himself a fan of Galatasaray – and this loyalty was well received.
Because Aktürkoglu wears glasses in private, which bear a certain resemblance to the world-famous novel and film character Harry Potter, he was also given the nickname “Kerem Potter.” He often celebrates his goals with a nod to the famous wizard student, waving his imaginary wand.
However, he did not show his signature move at the end of August when he scored the ultimately decisive 1-0 winning goal for Benfica against Fenerbahce Istanbul in the Champions League play-offs. Anyone who saw the midfielder’s restrained celebration probably suspected that there was more to it than that. After all, when he was still playing for Galatasaray, Aktürkoglu never missed an opportunity to celebrate goals against his archrivals extensively, sometimes even triumphantly and provocatively. Why the change?
Aktürkoglu costs Fener more than just the transfer fee
The answer came on Monday. Since then, the world has known that Aktürkoglu has signed with Fenerbahce for four years. According to reports, the Canaries are paying Benfica €22 million to pry the national team player (44 international caps, 12 goals) away. He cost the Turks even more, as his goal in Lisbon was responsible for Fener missing out on the Champions League, which meant the club lost out on around €30 million in prize money.
“I gave 100 percent for every club I was under contract with until the very last moment,” Aktürkoglu said after signing, revealing that he had also informed Fenerbahce that he would be playing for Benfica, as the transfer was not yet finalized at the time. The 26-year-old also admitted that he had already been wondering whether things would change. However, Fener president Ali Koc called him and told him that he had done what he had to do.
Distractions inevitable
It was clear that his move to Fener would not go without a hitch. Aktürkoglu has already been labeled a “traitor” on social media, and the fact that he deleted photos and posts related to Galatasaray did not help matters. Incidentally, his former club did the same and deleted, for example, Aktürkoglu’s farewell video, which had been posted when he moved to Lisbon.
At Fener, they are not concerned about this; they want their own fans to accept their former “arch-enemy.” “I hope he will also be popular with the fans,” said Hakan Safi (member of the management board), looking hopefully to the future: “We will have many wonderful days here. All the stands will be chanting ‘Kerem, Kerem,’ and we will be very happy about that.”
In addition to Aktürkoglu, Marco Asensio and Ederson are other well-known players who have joined Fener, which has been waiting for a championship title since 2013/14.
