In signing Yunus Emre Konak, Brentford have beaten a number of Europe’s biggest clubs to the signing of a player many in Turkey see as their country’s brightest young player.
Konak’s deal with Brentford was finalised on Wednesday, the day he turned 18, after a rapid rise to prominence.
A league champion with Sivasspor Under-17s, he was playing for Turkey Under-18s in September. By October, he was with their Under-21s.
It is also fitting that the defensive midfielder hails from the city of Batman, considering how many times he has come to the rescue of Sivasspor since his first-team debut in August.
Only six players in the entire Turkish Super Lig have made more interceptions than Konak this season, and only eight have won more tackles.
Since making his Super Lig debut, Konak had started every match for the side sat 10th in the league, until Sunday when he missed the 3-1 away win over Kayserispor as the final details of his move to Brentford were ironed out.
A member of the 2005-06 generation of Turkish footballers that also features Real Madrid starlet Arda Guler, Konak has been signed for a fee reported to be around £4million.
Plenty of other major clubs in Europe were interested in signing Konak, and Standard Sport understands that one side from Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues unsuccessfully tried to hijack the Brentford deal at the last minute.
We are delighted to confirm the arrival of 18-year-old midfielder Yunus Emre Konak, on an initial contract through to 2029 🙌
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) January 11, 2024
Konak is a first-team signing, though he is expected to be tested for Brentford B first, in order to ascertain his level.
As the Bees map out the next few years of progression for Konak, they will no doubt hope the trajectory of Yehor Yarmoliuk can be somewhat of a framework to copy.
The 19-year-old Ukraine Under-21 international spent last season, his first at Brentford, with the B side before progressing to the first team this term.
Yarmoliuk has now featured in 12 Brentford matches in a row, and is establishing himself as an important player for Thomas Frank’s side.
Konak can do the same. He has joined one of the best-placed clubs in Europe to allow him to flourish.
