Nuri Sahin has breathed new life into Basaksehir. At the heart of it all is striker Davie Selke, who has really hit his stride after a difficult few months.
Davie Selke is unlikely to forget this February anytime soon. The German striker scored five goals last month – no one else in the Turkish Süper Lig did better. At the same time, this winning streak – a total of six goals in the last six league games – represents a kind of resurrection.
Last summer, Selke joined Basaksehir FK in Istanbul on a free transfer from HSV. And here he got off to a really strong start, scoring three goals in four Conference League qualifying matches. He made a statement, even though the international adventure ended early and the club failed to qualify. But then his calf injury stopped him in his tracks: two months out from the end of August.
Selke was slow to get back on track after that. He ended 2025 with one goal and one assist in the league. “The injury came at a bad time. But today I feel in very good shape,” Selke told the Turkish media. His coach, former BVB coach and professional Nuri Sahin, relies on a double strike force. He actually prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation with Uzbek striker Eldor Shomurodov (16 league goals) in the center. But Selke’s power demanded a change in the system. “It’s wonderful to have two such great strikers as Selke and Shomurodov in one team,” enthuses the coach.
Two center forwards – almost outdated, but effective
Selke clearly describes his role: “I’m more of a classic number nine. Eldor and I complement each other very well because he is very flexible.” Two center forwards – almost outdated, but effective. Sahin, who has been in charge since mid-September, has breathed new life into the 2020 Turkish champions: more pressing, more courage, more clarity. “I find him impressive as a coach. I like his ideas and the style he wants to play,” Selke is full of praise.
Of course, there are also setbacks, such as in the cup on Tuesday evening. Basaksehir lost 2-4 at home to Trabzonspor, which meant they were out of the group stage. Selke, who has been largely rested in this competition, only came on late. The focus is now on the league, where they want to make up seven points on fourth-placed Besiktas, who are in a qualifying spot for the Conference League.
