Positivity is the key, reported West Ham United target and Galatasaray forward Baris Alper Yilmaz explains, to establishing yourself as one of the most adaptable footballers in the game.
This season alone, the Turkey international has played in no fewer than seven different positions.
While most of his 14 goals and six assists have come when cutting inside from the left-wing, Baris Alper Yilmaz has also been utilised on the right, in midfield, at centre-forward and even as an attack-minded full-back.
Galatasaray’s man for all occasions and all positions seldom lets doubts get the better of him. Without that innate, seemingly impervious self-confidence, Yilmaz might have found those more unfamiliar roles somewhat daunting.
But, by his own admission, very little manages to successfully intimidate Baris Alper Yilmaz. And that includes a big-money move to one of the major leagues of European football.
A reported West Ham United target since before Euro 2024, Galatasaray value Yilmaz at £33.5 million.
Presuming a switch to the London Stadium is still on the cards – West Ham allegedly had a £21 million bid rejected by the Turkish champions in January – this is an opportunity the 25-year-old powerhouse will have no issues grabbing with both hands.
Photo by Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu via Getty Images
Photo by Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu via Getty Images
Baris Alper Yilmaz opens up on transfer plans amid West Ham United interest
Speaking this week, after Galatasaray successfully held off competition from Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce to seal a second successive Super Lig title, Baris Alper Yilmaz admitted that he would like a new challenge away from the club he joined in 2021.
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“I really want to play in Europe,” Yilmaz begins, praying that the Galatasaray bosses are happy to reward four years of excellent service. “I would like to thank my club. We are here today thanks to them.
“I hope my club approves [a move away] and everything goes well. I would love to play in Europe.”
Baris Alper Yilmaz has been likened to Kylian Mbappe and Gareth Bale – Real Madrid superstars past and present – largely due to his searing acceleration. There is a lot more to him than pace, however.
West Ham boss Graham Potter may be tempted to use him in the left-wing role where he has often produced his most effective displays, though Yilmaz’s swashbuckling displays at centre-forward during last year’s European Championships offer plenty of food for thought.
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There was an almost prime-Michail Antonio sort of feel about the way Yilmaz used his explosive acceleration and broad-shouldered physique to bully opposition defenders.
“I am positive. Sometimes, I am so aggressive,” Yilmaz adds, explaining how he has managed to transform himself into a footballer capable of moving from one position to the next with very little fuss.
“When a player plays as a full-back or a position where he does not feel comfortable, he’s a little thoughtful when he plays. I don’t have anything like that. I am always positive.
“I’m always talking and I am not afraid.”
West Ham may face competition from Nottingham Forest, while Aston Villa and Newcastle have also sent scouts to watch Baris Alper Yilmaz in action.
“They usually compare me to Mbappe,” Yilmaz said during another interview a year previously. “(But) the biggest name I take as an example is Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Of course, I have dreams. As a Turk, I want to represent my country abroad [but] I do not look into transfer matters at all. I am focused on my work. My agent deals with those issues.
“If it happens, what is necessary will be done. (But) I love watching the Premier League.”