Eren Derdiyok

Early life

Derdiyok was born in Basel, Switzerland into a Alevi Kurdish family from Turkey. He also holds Turkish citizenship.

From an early age he played for the Basel football club BSC Old Boys Basel. At 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Derdiyok is a powerful striker who can also play as centre-back if required. He started his career with Swiss minnows Old Boys at the beginning of the 2005–06 season in which scored 10 goals in just 18 appearances. He scored a goal in the Swiss Cup 1–6 defeat against FC Basel on 22 October 2005.

Basel

Therefore, FC Basel noticed his goal scoring instinct and snapped him up in 2006 at the age of 18. Derdiyok played his first team debut on 14 March 2007 as substitute in a cup match against FC Aarau. He gave his League debut just four days later, also against Aarau. During the 2006–07 season, Derdiyok was used mainly as a substitute, playing only one full game, and averaging a total of 220 play minutes that season. He had 17 appearances in the U-21 team that season. For Derdiyok, the 2007–08 season proved to be a lot more fruitful and he received regular playing time. In FC Basel's main squad, Derdiyok scored his first hat trick playing away against FC Thun on 2 March 2008. On 6 April 2008, he won the Swiss Cup, his first title.

On 29 June 2008, it was reported by the English media that he was in talks with Newcastle United representatives. However, the transfer window passed without any transfer taking place. On 27 August 2008, he scored the winning goal in FC Basel's 2–1 win over Vitória S.C. at St. Jakob-Park which meant that Basel qualified for the UEFA Champions League. Also, in the UEFA Champions League, Derdiyok helped give Basel its first point by scoring the only goal against FC Barcelona at Camp Nou to tie the game in the 82nd min at 1–1. At the end of the 2007–08 season, Derdiyok won the national Double with Basel.

Bayer Leverkusen

Following another solid season in the Swiss top flight and a string of performances for the national team, Bayer Leverkusen secured Derdiyok's signature on 28 May 2009 committing him to a four-year contract until 30 June 2013 after an attract major European clubs including Galatasaray and some Serie A clubs, he finally joined his teammate Tranquillo Barnetta. Prior moving to Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Derdiyok was linked with joining English side Everton but he however rejected a move, stating he is adamant that he is eager to make a proposed summer switch to Leverkusen. Derdiyok made his debut in the DFB-Pokal on 31 July in a match against SV Babelsberg 03, he scored the winning goal in the 67th minute to make the score 1–0. On 8 August 2009, he scored his first goal in the league on his league debut in a 2–2 draw against Mainz 05. He replaced the long-term absentee Patrick Helmes in the starting lineup. His goals contributed to the fact that Bayer Leverkusen was ranked first after the first leg of this season. In the end, Bayer finished fourth this season, qualifying for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. During the 2009–10 season, Derdiyok scored 12 goals in 33 Bundesliga matches.

In the first half of his second season, Derdiyok again war a regular in the starting lineup, but was increasingly used as a substitute in the second leg of this season. He played alternately with Stefan Kießling. On 14 August 2010, Derdiyok scored his first goal of 2010–11 season debut when scoring twice against FK Pirmasens for an 11–1 win in the DFB-Pokal. On matchday 2 of the Bundesliga, Derdiyok scored in the league-match against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Derdiyok scored six goals in 32 Bundesliga matches. In his third and final season, Derdiyok scored his first goal of 2011–12 season in a DFB-Pokal against Dynamo Dresden but only to lose 4–3 after extra time. On 1 October 2011, Derdiyok scored in a 3–1 win over VfL Wolfsburg when he stretched to take down a long pass at the edge of the box, flipped the ball back over his head with two defenders around him and buried it in the back of the net with an overhead kick. On 23 November 2011, he scored a headed equalizing goal against Chelsea in the group stage of the Champions League. Bayer Leverkusen went on to win this match 2–1 as Manuel Friedrich scored the winning goal. Bayer Leverkusen qualified for the last 16 of this competition. Three days later, playing away in a draw 3–3 with the Hertha BSC in the Bundesliga, Derdiyok scored his first hat-trick with Leverkusen. Later this season Derdiyok ended up in the hospital, needing seven stitches for a cut that he suffered in a freak injury when he knocked over the glass in which he keeps his toothbrush and then overlooked a shard of glass and cut his foot open on it. His injury made him miss three weeks; he returned from injury when he was on the bench in a match against 1. FC Köln but he wasn't fit enough to play. Derdiyok made his return in a match against FC Bayern Munich where Derdiyok provided an assist for Stefan Kießling. The 2–0 win ended a spate of 14 matches of Bayer Leverkusen without a win against Bayern Munich. In the 2011–12 Bundesliga, Derdiyok scored seven goals.

Hoffenheim

In April 2012, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim have confirmed their interests signing Derdiyok. On 2 May 2012, Derdiyok signed a contract for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for the 2012–13 season until June 2016. He transferred for an unknown price tag. Hoffenheim had been looking for a new striker since the winter transfer window when the then injured Vedad Ibišević joined VfB Stuttgart in the winter transfer window.

On 21 July 2012, Derdiyok scored on his debut for Hoffenheim, a 2–0 win against SV Waldhof Mannheim. He made his league debut in the opening game of the season, setting up a goal in a 2–1 loss against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Derdiyok would struggle to score his first goal until matchday 11 (on 18 November 2012) in a 3–1 loss against Wolfsburg.

However, his poor performance at Hoffenheim was criticised that Markus Babbel regretted signing him and Tim Wiese. Following this, Derdiyok's playing time was soon reduced. Derdiyok would also be demoted to the reserve side because his higher wages were affecting the club's finance and he was no longer included in the first team under manager Markus Gisdol. Then, Derdiyok suffered an abdominal problems, which ruled him out for the 2012–13 season. Derdiyok quoted admitting about his move: "We have to be ashamed of us, especially me. We cannot play the remaining games in such a way. I earn my bread here, I have to give something in return."

After one season with Hoffenheim, Derdiyok was among nine players to be left out for the club's training camp ahead of the 2013–14 season. Derdiyok told Sport1 in an interview, quoting: "We have all disappointed. It can not be that I'm the bogeyman. Things were promised to him, "have not been complied with at the end. There has been much done wrong." After being told by Switzerland's manager Ottmar Hitzfeld to leave as soon as possible. Derdiyok found himself being linked with Hamburg. Derdiyok was sent to the club's reserve side by Manager Gisdol.

Return to Bayer Leverkusen (loan)

On 30 August 2013, Derdiyok returned to Bayer Leverkusen on a season long loan until the end of the 2013–14 season. Upon his loan move, Derdiyok vowed: "I will be as strong as never before!"

However, Derdiyok featured less and only appeared on the bench instead. Manager Sami Hyypiä quoted on Derdiyok about his recent attitude: "Eren must focus even more, then he is a very good player. He has quality. We all need to help him get this quality." After the end of the 2013–14 season, Derdiyok's loan spell with the club came to an end and he returned to Hoffenheim.

Kasımpaşa

A few days after the end of Bundesliga season, Derdiyok left Hoffenheim to join Süper Lig Turkish side Kasımpaşa ahead of a new season. Derdiyok cited moving to Turkey as "target and ideal" Derdiyok wouldl spend the next three seasons at the Istanbul club.

Galatasaray

Derdiyok signed a three-year contract with Turkish club Galatasaray on 5 August 2016 for an initial fee of €4 million.

International career

Derdiyok made his international debut for Switzerland on 6 February 2008, as a second-half substitute against England at Wembley Stadium in London. He scored with his first touch of the ball to equalise, but they eventually lost 2–1. He was named as part of the Switzerland squad to play at UEFA Euro 2008 and was the youngest player at the tournament at 19 years old. He made a big impact at the tournament and became better known because of it. He was also in the Switzerland 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup where he played twice. On 26 May 2012, Derdiyok scored his first ever international hat-trick as Switzerland beat Germany to win 5–3 in a friendly at St. Jakob-Park in Basel.

As a result of his performance in his club career, Derdiyok was not included in the squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by manager Ottmar Hitzfeld.

But his performances improved for Kasımpaşa resulting in him being included in the squad for Euro 2016.

Club

Club

Individual