Arda Okan Kurtulan

Arda Okan Kurtulan
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-11-19) 19 November 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Istanbul, Turkey
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Adana Demirspor
Number 99
Youth career
2014–2015 Akşemsettin Parsellerspor
2015–2016 Göktürk Sarayspor
2016–2017 Akşemsettin Parsellerspor
2017–2019 Erokspor
2019–2022 Fenerbahçe
2022–2023 Adana Demirspor
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Fenerbahçe 1 (0)
2022– Adana Demirspor 10 (0)
2023 → Karacabey Belediyespor (loan) 14 (3)
2023–2024 → Diyarbekirspor (loan) 32 (8)
International career‡
2020–2021 North Macedonia U19 7 (0)
2022 North Macedonia U21 4 (2)
2022– Albania U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 March 2023

Arda Okan Kurtulan (born 19 November 2002) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays for Adana Demirspor. Born in Turkey, he is a youth international for Albania.

Career

Kurtulan was a youth product of Akşemsettin Parsellerspor in 2014 and had a stint with Göktürk Sarayspor in 2015 before returning to his first club. He moved to Erokspor's youth academy in 2017, and then joined Fenerbahçe's youth side in 2019.[1] On 17 May 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Fenerbahçe for three years.[2] He made his professional debut with Fenerbahçe as a late substitute in a 5–0 Süper Lig win over Yeni Malatyaspor on 21 May 2022.[3]

International career

Born and raised in Turkey, Kurtulan is of Albanian descent through his grandparents,[4] respectively from Breza (grandfather),[4] and Mitrovica (grandmother).[5] He was eligible to represent four countries on international level, either Albania, Kosovo, Turkey or North Macedonia with the latter he was part of the U19 and U21 teams and he with these teams played eleven matches and scored two goals.

On 10 November 2022, Kurtulan decided to represent Albania U21 and accept their call-up for the friendly matches against San Marino and Montenegro.[6] His debut with Albania U21 came ten days after call-up in a friendly match against Montenegro after coming on as a substitute at 81st minute in place of Behar Ismaili.

Personal life

Kurtulan's father, Ramazan Kurtulan, was a semi-professional footballer who played in the TFF First League.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Arda Okan Kurtulan kimdir, kaç yaşında? Arda Okan Kurtulan nereli,..." Fanatik. 17 May 2021.
  2. ^ Şafak, Yeni (18 May 2021). "Fenerbahçe, Arda Okan Kurtulan ile 3 yıllık profesyonel sözleşme imzaladı". Yeni Şafak.
  3. ^ "Arda Okan Kurtulan kimdir? Arda Okan kaç yaşında? - Yeni Akit". www.yeniakit.com.tr.
  4. ^ a b "Arda Okan Kurtulan Kuzey Makedonya U19 Milli Maçında İlk 11'de" [Arda Okan Kurtulan in the Top 11 of North Macedonia U19 National Match]. UskupBrezalilar.org (in Turkish). 11 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Futbollisti me origjinë nga fshati Brezë, tregon arsyet pse zgjodhi Shqipërinë para Maqedonisë" [The footballer, originally from the village of Brezë, shows the reasons why he chose Albania over Macedonia] (in Albanian). Bota Sot. 20 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Miqësoret me San Marinon & Malin e Zi/Trajneri Bushi shpall listën e Kombëtares U-21" [Friendlies with San Marino & Montenegro/Coach Bushi announces the list of the National U-21 Team] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Association. 10 November 2022.
  7. ^ "ESENLER EROKSPOR'DAN FENERBAHÇEYE | Son Dakika Esenler Haber". 25 February 2019.