Young Turkish starlet Enes Ünal becomes Man City’s first major signing

BURSA / MANCHESTER

DHA Photo

English Premier League giant Manchester City has signed Bursaspor’s 18-year-old Turkish striker Enes Ünal for reportedly 2 million pounds ($3.1 million), the U.K. club confirmed July 6. 

Ünal, who underwent medical checks last weekend, signed the deal July 6 in a ceremony with Manchester City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, becoming coach Manuel Pellegrini’s first major signing of the summer.

It is reported that the Turkish national will join his new team at their pre-season preparations in Australia.

Ünal was the sole Turkish player to have a spot on the “40 Promising Footballers” list compiled by British newspaper the Guardian in October last year.

He is the son of former Bursaspor legend, Mesut Ünal. 

The Turkish youth scored one goal in 18 Super League matches last season.

He scored on his Super League debut on 25 August, 2013, for Bursaspor against local giants Galatasaray, making him the youngest player to net in Turkey’s top division. 

He broke the record by Batuhan Karadeniz, who scored for Beşiktaş aged 16 years, four months and one day in 2007. Ünal was 16 years, three months and 15 days of age when he found the net for the equalizer. 

He made his first international appearance against Luxembourg in March, having previously scored 24 goals in 25 games for Turkey’s Under-16 team.

The young starlet tweeted a picture of his plane ticket and passport before boarding a flight to Manchester and again to say he had arrived safely.

“My voyage to the cradle of football has started. Thanks to all who have put in effort,” he wrote. 

Manchester Evening Post has claimed that Ünal and his family were City fans.
 
“I can’t believe it, everybody in my house including my mum, are M. City fans,” Ünal tweeted, following Sergio Aguero’s 94th minute Premier League title winner in 2012, the paper noted on its website. 

Ünal will face a hard challenge for a first team jersey at City, which already has Stevan Jovetic, Edin Dzeko, along with regulars Aguero and Wilfried Bony.