Hakan Çalhanoğlu

Hakan Çalhanoğlu — Biography

Hakan Çalhanoğlu was born on February 8, 1994, in Mannheim, Germany. Standing 1.76 meters tall, he plays as a midfielder and is especially known for his long-range free kicks. He began his career at German second-division club Karlsruher SC in 2010, moved to Hamburger SV two years later, and spent a season back at his first club on loan. A strong first Bundesliga season earned him a €14.5 million move to Bayer Leverkusen in 2014, where he scored 28 goals in 115 official matches over three seasons.

In 2017 he signed with AC Milan for an initial €20 million fee, before joining crosstown rivals Inter on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, where he continues to play in Serie A. Although born in Germany, and with family roots in Trabzon, Çalhanoğlu chose to represent Turkey from under-16 level, made his senior debut in 2013, and has since featured at the 2016, 2020 and 2024 European Championships as well as the 2026 World Cup, wearing the captain's armband for the national team.

In July 2026 his choice of a low-key village holiday in Bayburt over the more typical Bodrum drew wide media attention, and around the same time he became a frequent subject of transfer speculation linking him with Fenerbahçe amid uncertainty over his future at Inter.