Celtic have been linked with German-born Turkey international and Fenerbahçe left-back Hasan Ali Kaldirim, but they face fierce competition from West Ham for his services, with both clubs hoping to secure the signature of the 27-year-old before the winter transfer window draws its curtain on Tuesday.
Rodgers wants to bring defensive reinforcements as Celtic could lose Emilio Izaguirre whose contract ends at the end of the season. The Honduran isn’t keen on extending his stay at the Parkhead, and Kaldirim has been identified as a great addition to the Hoops rank.
But who is he? And will he be a good buy even though a nominal fee is all he would be available for, as his contract expires this summer and he’s not willing to remain at the Turkish club any further?
Football Background/C.V
Born in Germany to Turkish parents, Kaldırım started out his career at TuS Koblenz, moving through the club’s age grades before proceeding to Kaiserslautern at 17 years of age.
He joined the club’s under-19 immediately, and his potentials and promising abilities earned him a promotion to the club reserve team prior to the start of 2008–09.
A season later, Kaldirim moved to Mainz 05, with the club just securing a return to the Bundesliga 2 years after relegation. The move was inspired by the club’s manager at the time Jørn Andersen.
However, the defender couldn’t break into the first team, making 19 appearances for the newly-promoted side’s reserve squad before moving to Turkey 6 months later, linking up with Kayserispor. It was at the club Kaldirim made his debut as a professional footballer in 2010.
After 2 seasons and 21 games, he broke into Kayserispor’s starting XI, playing 33 games, earning his national team call-up and a transfer to Turkish giants Fenerbahçe, where he has since proven his worth, making over 130 appearances till date.
Style of Play / Strengths and Weaknesses
The fullback is a versatile defender capable of also playing as a centre defender or as a wing-back, with his defensive and offensive abilities of top notch quality.
In the Turkish Super Lig this season, averaging 5 defensive actions per 90 minutes, Kaldirim has won 16 tackles, made 24 interceptions, 47 clearances and 2 blocks.
He has created 11 goalscoring chances for teammates, highlighting how useful he can be to the team’s attack while helping to keep the opposition in check.
Kaldirim’s 2 major strengths are holding on to the ball and making key, short and precise passes. He makes it almost impossible for the opposition to rob him of possession, while his crosses are inch perfect, making him a threat whenever he bursts forward.
The left-back has no noticeable weaknesses, as his standout abilities and willingness to put in the perfect performance every other game tends to hide whatsoever flaws he might have.
Where will he fit in
Being able to play as a centre-half and left-back, the Turkish Super Lig and Turkish Cup winner will definitely come handy in Rodger’s selection for any of the spots in his defence setup.
If the battle for his signature is won, his European experience would definitely be key for Celtic’s Champions League campaigns in subsequent seasons, and Kieran Tierney would have a stiff competition on his neck for a starting berth on the left of the defence.
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