Cafercan Aksu

Cafercan Aksu — Biography

Cafercan Aksu is a former footballer remembered as one of the brightest young talents of Turkish football in the 2000s, who later spent years in the lower leagues. He came through Galatasaray's academy and played more often for Turkey's youth national teams than anyone else; in later years the Turkish sports press repeatedly put him in features on "lost stars", and his name is still recalled among Football Manager players. Sources list his position variously as midfielder and striker.

He started out in the academy of Antalya Yolspor, and Galatasaray's scouts watched him and brought him in. From 2001 he was called up to the youth national teams and in time reached 98 caps, the most of any youth international. In 2004 he reached the final of the UEFA Under-19 Championship with Turkey. The step up to Galatasaray's senior side never came: he was loaned to Rizespor at the start of 2005-06, returned in the winter break but without playing a minute was sent to İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor in summer 2006. He was later loaned to Orduspor and, in 2008-09, to Gaziantep Büyükşehir Belediyespor; in 2009 he said there was tolerance for foreigners but none for young players, voicing how little chance young players were given.

At the start of 2011-12 he signed a three-year contract with Giresunspor, then agreed a 2+1 year deal with Boluspor and moved to TKİ Tavşanlı Linyitspor for 2013-14. Karşıyaka, İstanbul Başakşehir, Konyaspor and Körfez SK also appear in his career, and he spent his later years at lower-division clubs such as Kocaeli Birlikspor, Somaspor and Siirt İl Özel İdaresi.