Alim Öztürk

Alim Öztürk
Öztürk in 2018
Personal information
Full name Alim Öztürk[1]
Date of birth (1992-11-17) 17 November 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Alkmaar, Netherlands
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Iğdır
Number 4
Youth career
AFC '34
Hellas Sport Combinatie
Groningen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 Cambuur 13 (0)
2013–2014 Trabzonspor 0 (0)
2013–2014 → 1461 Trabzon (loan) 18 (2)
2014–2017 Heart of Midlothian 62 (5)
2017–2018 Boluspor 40 (1)
2018–2020 Sunderland 35 (0)
2020–2022 Ümraniyespor 33 (4)
2022–2024 Samsunspor 57 (3)
2024– Iğdır 2 (0)
International career
2013 Turkey U21 6 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 August 2024

Alim Öztürk (born 17 November 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Iğdır. Born in the Netherlands, he represented Turkey at youth level.

Öztürk has previously played for Dutch club SC Cambuur, Trabzonspor, 1461 Trabzon, Scottish club Heart of Midlothian, Boluspor and Sunderland.

Career

Playing in Netherlands

Born in Alkmaar, Netherlands, to his Turkish parents, Öztürk grew up with three siblings and started playing football when he was nine years old and joining AFC '34 youth team. His parents kept distance from Öztürk playing football.[3] He then joined FC Groningen.[3] In 2011, Öztürk joined Eerste Divisie side SC Cambuur, where he quickly went through to the first team and made his Eerste Divisie debut for Cambuur on 22 January 2012.[4]

Playing in Turkey

He moved to Turkish club Trabzonspor in 2013[5] for €125,000 on a three-year contract, depending on the ongoing payment,[6] but did not break into their first team.[7]

After struggling to break into the first team, Öztürk was sent to join 1461 Trabzon on loan for the 2013–14 season.[8] After a half season with the club, Öztürk left Trabzonspor by mutual consent.[9] Öztürk later described playing in Turkey as difficult, citing more long balls, more fights and unsatisfied playing in the second division.[10]

Heart of Midlothian

Öztürk moved to then Scottish Championship side Hearts in June 2014 on a three-year contract.[7] Öztürk made his Hearts debut, playing in the centre-back along with Danny Wilson, in a 2–1 win over Rangers in the opening game of the season.[11] On 26 October 2014, Öztürk scored his first goal for the club, a 40-yard screamer against Edinburgh rivals Hibernian.[12] He also scored with long-range efforts against Raith Rovers,[13] Cowdenbeath,[14] and he scored a free-kick against Queen of the South.[15] Alim Öztürk was the main free-kick taker at Hearts. With 33 appearances and scoring four times in his first season at Hearts, Öztürk was among six players to be named 2014–15 Championship's Team of the Year.[16] Öztürk was also won Goal of the Season and Memorable Moment at the club's award ceremony.[17]

Following the club's promotion to the Scottish Premiership and Wilson's departure, it was announced that Öztürk was appointed as the new captain at Hearts.[18] He had previously spoke about becoming the club's captain ahead of the 2015–16 season.[19] Öztürk's first game as Hearts' captain came in the opening game of the season, in a 4–3 win over St Johnstone.[20] On 21 September 2016, the captaincy was transferred to Perry Kitchen.[21]

Boluspor

Öztürk returned to Turkish football in January 2017, signing an 18-month contract with TFF First League club Boluspor.[22]

Sunderland

On 21 June 2018, EFL League One club Sunderland announced the signing of Öztürk on a free transfer with a two-year contract.[23]

Ozturk struggled to cement his place in the team and it was announced on 17 June 2020 that he would be leaving Sunderland, bringing to an end his two years at the club.[24]

Ümraniyespor

On 26 August 2020, Öztürk joined TFF First League club Ümraniyespor.[25]

Personal life

Öztürk speaks Dutch, Turkish and English.[26] Öztürk was so popular with Hearts supporters that they named a beer after him.[27]

References

  1. ^ "Ali̇m Öztürk" (in Turkish). Turkish Football Federation. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Alim Öztürk" (in Turkish). Trabzonspor.org.tr. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  3. ^ a b "DEFANSA iLAÇ OLABiLECEK BÜYÜK YETENEK!". Yteneki Turk Futbolcular Website. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  4. ^ "ALİM ÖZTÜRK – Player Details". TFF.org. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Cambuur sells Öztürk at Trabzonspor" [Cambuur verkoopt Öztürk aan Trabzonspor] (in Dutch). Goal.com. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Scholars Ozturk Trabzonspor" [Alim Öztürk Trabzonspor'da] (in Turkish). Milliyet News. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  7. ^ a b Hearts recruit Turkish defender Alim Ozturk, BBC Sport
  8. ^ "Uğur ve Alim 1461 yolunda" [Uğur ve Alim 1461 yolunda] (in Turkish). 61 Saat Official Website. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  9. ^ "Trabzon, Alim Öztürk'ü serbest bıraktı" [Trabzon, Alim Öztürk'ü serbest bıraktı] (in Turkish). Sports 365 Official Website. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  10. ^ "Alim Ozturk already feels at home at with Hearts". Edinburgh Evening News. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Rangers 1 – 2 Hearts". BBC Sport. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  12. ^ "Hearts rescued their unbeaten league record with a late Alim Ozturk strike that secured a draw against Hibernian". bbc.co.uk/sport/. BBC Sport. 26 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Heart of Midlothian 1–0 Raith Rovers". BBC Sport. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  14. ^ "Heart of Midlothian 10–0 Cowdenbeath". BBC Sport. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  15. ^ "Hearts 2–0 Queen of the South". BBC Sport. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  16. ^ "Capital clubs dominate PFA Team of the Year". Edinburgh Evening News. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  17. ^ "THE WINNERS ARE IN!". Heart of Midlothian F.C. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  18. ^ "SKIPPER SPEAKS". Heart of Midlothian F.C. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 31 July 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  19. ^ "I'd love to be king of Hearts: Alim Ozturk sets his sights on Jambos captaincy". Daily Record. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  20. ^ Lindsay, Clive (2 August 2015). "Hearts 4–3 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  21. ^ "Kitchen replaces Ozturk as Hearts captain as Anderson takes St Johnstone armband". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  22. ^ Anderson, Barry (8 January 2017). "Alim Ozturk leaves Hearts for Turkish club Boluspor". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  23. ^ "Ozturk becomes first summer signing". SAFC.com. SAFC.com. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Sunderland retained list: Duncan Watmore one of five to leave as Jon McLaughlin, Chris Maguire and Tom Flanagan offered new deals".
  25. ^ @Umraniyespor (26 August 2020). "Hoş geldin Alim! ❤️🤍" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "Derby gave Alim Ozturk an appetite for all things Hearts". Edinburgh Evening News. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  27. ^ "'40 yard Screamer' beer honours Hearts' Ozturk". Edinburgh Evening News. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2015.