Former Sunderland target Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has joined Turkish side Çaykur Rizespor on loan from Crystal Palace
Former Sunderland target Jesurun Rak-Sakyi will continue his career in Turkey after completing a loan move to Çaykur Rizespor from Crystal Palace.
The 22-year-old winger was officially unveiled this week, with the deal running until the end of the 2025-26 campaign, subject to international clearance. Rizespor finished ninth in the Turkish Super League last season and are looking to strengthen their attacking options as they aim to push into the top half of the table.
Rak-Sakyi, who has long been regarded as one of Palace’s brightest academy graduates, had previously been linked with Sunderland during the club’s Championship recruitment drives. The Black Cats were understood to have monitored his progress closely, though a move to Wearside never materialised.
Instead, Rak-Sakyi has built up experience through a series of loans. After impressing in the youth system at Chelsea, he joined Palace in 2019, breaking into the first-team picture in 2021. He made his debut against his former club that August, coming off the bench in a 3-0 Premier League defeat. Later that season, he registered his first senior start in a 1-0 home victory over Manchester United.
In 2022-23, Rak-Sakyi enjoyed a standout spell at Charlton Athletic in League One, scoring 15 goals and providing eight assists in 43 appearances. His performances earned him the club’s Supporters’ Player of the Year award after securing nearly half of the fan vote.
He stepped up to the Championship last season with Sheffield United, where he became a regular part of their push for promotion. Featuring 36 times, he scored seven goals as the Blades narrowly missed out on a Premier League return after falling short in the play-offs against Sunderland at Wembley, where goals from Eliezer Mayenda and Tommy Watson ensured the Wearsiders returned to the top-flight for the first time in eight seasons.
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Back at Palace this summer, speculation mounted over his next move, with a permanent transfer considered possible. However, the Eagles opted to send him abroad for the first time in his career, with Rizespor offering guaranteed minutes in a top-flight European division.
Rak-Sakyi has also made strides on the international stage. Eligible for Ghana through his parents, he instead accepted a call-up to the England Under-20s in 2021 and marked his debut with a goal against Romania. He later progressed to the Under-21s, making his debut in a draw with Spain in November 2024.
Though Sunderland once viewed him as a possible addition to their exciting young squad, Rak-Sakyi’s next steps will be taken overseas. Palace, meanwhile, have wished him well as he seeks to build on his reputation in Turkey and return to Selhurst Park with further experience under his belt. The attacker is expected to play regularly in Turkey, with game time limited at Crystal Palace under head coach Oliver Glasner at the London club this season.
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