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Zeki Çelik

teok

Well-Known Member
Aug 11, 2011
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Telegraph:


Tottenham Hotspur are willing to sell Serge Aurier or Juan Foyth to help fund a move to sign Lille right-back Zeki Celik.
Celik has emerged as one of Jose Mourinho’s top targets for the right-back position he wants to strengthen after clinching the signing of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Hojbjerg is due to arrive from Southampton, where Kyle Walker-Peters will move on a permanent deal, leaving Mourinho to concentrate on other areas.

His top priorities after adding Hojbjerg to his squad for next season will be to sign a new right-back and to find a striker to provide cover for Harry Kane.
But Spurs must also sell players to help fund moves for their targets and Aurier and Foyth are two that the club would be willing to cash in on.

AC Milan are thought to be interested in taking Aurier to Italy, while Leeds United have been linked with a move for Argentine defender Foyth.

Tottenham will use any incoming fee for either man to put towards a move for 23-year-old Celik, who has made 14 international appearances for Turkey.

Mourinho operated for most of last season with just one natural right-back in Aurier, whose form was often inconsistent.

Sources in France have claimed that Celik could be sold for around £18 million, which, providing they can sell players, would fit into Tottenham’s limited budget.

Celik will already be well known to Tottenham coach Joao Sacramento, who moved to north London from Lille along with goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos.

Lille director of football Luis Campos is also a close friend of Mourinho, although Tottenham have consistently denied reports that he too could make the move to Spurs.
Finding a striker to act as back-up to Kane may prove difficult, just as it did in January when Tottenham failed in a bid to sign Olivier Giroud from Chelsea.
 

BringBack_leGin

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2004
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This is Matt Law story from 12 Nov, 7 days before Poch got the boot - it’s when I knew he was done for:


Law absolutely has contacts within the club.
Or it’s a case of even a broken clock is right twice per day? Wasn’t exactly a stretch for any journo to write that Pochettino was off at that point really was it?
 

sidford

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2003
11,324
29,604
He was also first to say new manager was José, he definitely has / had contacts.
 

Johno1470

The worst thing about prison was the dementors
Aug 6, 2018
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Is Celik any good? I know Aurier looks like he’s leaving but he has been one of the most consistent players since Jose arrived and has cut out the mistakes. He finally gets some consistency to his game and then we sell for another gamble from Ligue 1.

I’d be all for selling Aurier for decent money and bringing in someone who can defend firstly, but Celik may be a risk especially if we’re gonna have only one out and out RB in the squad. Yes I know Tanganga and Foyth can fill in the odd game but a season ending injury to Aurier/Celik leaves us disadvantaged and back to a weak link in the squad.
 

Montalbano

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2018
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18,686
Out of our three reported RB targets, Aarons, Castagne, and Celik, seems the most like an atypical "Mourinho fullback". He appears to be the strongest defensively and physically. While unlike Aarons, I would say he lacks elite pace and ability to take on players. He does have a strong passing range [he's great at pinging those cross-field reversals] and good composure on the ball though. He's the top choice for me.
 
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JKendall13

Well-Known Member
Jul 2, 2012
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Celik fits with various ITK since Jose arrived that he wants bigger and more physical fullbacks and thus potentially was uncertain about Aarons.

Davies (whom JM loves) and Celik look like they would be a physical pair of unremarkable but defensively solid fullbacks.
 

S17PUR

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2006
1,313
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Aarons would still be my preference because I think we really miss having someone with that blistering recovery pace at the back, and he'd also be able to get up the pitch quickly for counter attacks.

That said, if we're going to continue to sit deep regardless of the opponents, then the recovery pace isn't quite so important I guess.
 

George94

George
Feb 1, 2015
3,661
19,454
Aarons would still be my preference because I think we really miss having someone with that blistering recovery pace at the back, and he'd also be able to get up the pitch quickly for counter attacks.

That said, if we're going to continue to sit deep regardless of the opponents, then the recovery pace isn't quite so important I guess.

From what I’ve seen, Aarons isn’t actually that fast - certainly no faster than Aurier.
 

St José Dominguez

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2014
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We may as well bring back Yedlin if all we care about is pace. He may not be a full back who will bomb up wings on overlap but from what it seems he’s a full back who is very good defensively, an excellent passer who doesn’t sloppily give away the ball and can deliver crosses accurately.
Some of the best full backs of all time didn’t have incredible pace. This idea he’s a defensive, uninspiring right back isn’t true either, I think quick accurate passing after winning a tackle that can spring a counter attack is pretty exciting to me.
 

arunspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,807
35,543
Not sure if this is posted before...This scouting report highlights what Celik can offer :


In summary :
Makes lot of recoveries especially in final third
Can play RB as well as RWB
good in 1 v 1 duals.
Suits high press style
Crossing per game & crossing accuracy is good

Weakness : Needs to improve aerially. Also in clearances.
 

bbunc

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2019
1,562
6,610
Not sure if this is posted before...This scouting report highlights what Celik can offer :


In summary :
Makes lot of recoveries especially in final third
Can play RB as well as RWB
good in 1 v 1 duals.
Suits high press style
Crossing per game & crossing accuracy is good

Weakness : Needs to improve aerially. Also in clearances.

I think this Çelik guy is pretty darn good. Good balance both ways plus coaches have worked with him so know personality/fit.
 

ClintEastwould

Well-Known Member
Jul 3, 2012
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Just watched his YouTube highlights. His passing from the back and midfield reminds me of BAE. Accurate and slightly creative. He looks like a phenomenal defender as well especially 1v1 ala AWB.
 
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