Yildiz overtakes Güler: Most valuable Turkish footballers in history

€30m MV upgrade 

©IMAGO

Türkiye is arguably home to the most passionate football fans in the world, which they highlighted by their incredible support at Euro 2024. Football is a way of life in Türkiye and the biggest clubs in the country have fanatical support. This is reinforced with Galatasaray and Fenerbahce being two of the most popular club profiles on Transfermarkt in 2025.

Despite the fanatical support of its fans and the size of the country, Türkiye perhaps underperforms when it comes to developing excellent youn players. With two obvious exceptions: Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız. While Yildiz failed to provide a goal contribution at Euro 2024, Güler showcased his incredible potential by scoring a stunning goal in the opening game before two further assists. Yildiz’s development at Juventus has been on an upward trajectory across the last two seasons, but following Friday’s Transfermarkt market value update of LaLiga, the winger has had to step down from his position as Türkiye’s most valuable player.

The most valuable Turkish players in history

Although Yıldız received an impressive €25m upgrade in the last Serie A market value update, he has since been overtaken by his compatriot Güler who was the focus of plenty of praise this week. Due to his impressive performances for Real Madrid this season, Güler’s market value has risen by an incredible €30m. This now means that the 20-year-old talent is not only the most valuable player in his age group and the fifth most valuable player at Madrid, but he’s also the most valuable player ever in the history of Türkish football.

As we can see in the graphic above, both players are comfortably out in front when it comes to ranking the most valuable players to ever player for Türkiye. Güler’s new market value makes him twice as valuable as third-placed Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s highest market value, which was in 2024 when he was worth €45m. Alongside him at that market value level is former Leicester City defender Çağlar Söyüncü, who hit €45m back in 2021 and Eintracht Frankfurt attacking midfielder Can Uzun, who could certainly catch up with both Yıldız and Güler if he continues to develop in the Bundesliga.