Sunderland have secured their first signing of the summer and it is former Turkey u-21 international Alim Ozturk. The defender’s contract ran out with Turkish second division outfit Boluspor and the Black Cats got him for free on a two-year contract. The new manager Jack Ross will have a big task at hand in the upcoming season as Sunderland suffered successive relegation.
Ozturk had spent three years in Scottish football playing for Hearts and he was a fan favourite amongst them and wore the captain’s armband in the latter part of his stint with them. Their new manager Jack Ross is delighted with his first acquisition and he said,” He is someone who I know – I worked with him a few years ago at Hearts. He is a player who is yet to reach his full potential, but this opportunity here gives him the chance to do that.
He further added,“He is a really good player and he will be able to cope with the physical demands of this league. He is really comfortable on the ball and I think the supporters will see that. He is excited by the opportunity to come here and he wants to do well so that fits perfectly into what we are trying to do here moving forward.”
Jack Ross has seen the player from close quarters at Hearts as he was the academy boss at that time and he will be aware what sort of performance he is going to get out of the defender. Ozturk was part of the team which won promotion to the first division in Scotland and he was part of the Scottish Championship team of the season.
The Turkish ace is a strong centre-half who is good in the air and commands the backline well and that was one of the reasons why he was handed the captain’s armband in Scotland. He is still just 25 and has shown maturity beyond his age when he was with the Scottish outfit and he will certainly be a good addition to the Black Cats’ squad as they will look to get a direct promotion to the Championship in the upcoming season.
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However, the challenges will be a bit sterner in the Championship but going by the pieces of evidence the Netherland born defender has provided, it seems like he will be a hit at the back. The Black Cats conceded 80 goals in the league last season and are in need of defensive reinforcements and the signing of Ozturk is certainly a step in the right direction.
