Çağlar Söyüncü and Cengo reunite for the 3rd time: Here is a story of friendship from Altınordu to Fenerbahçe

Selçuk Ahmet ÇELİK-12punto.com.tr

Continuing to strengthen its squad during the January transfer window, Fenerbahçe has signed a contract with national footballer Çağlar Söyüncü, who played for Atletico Madrid, following the arrivals of Leonardo Bonucci and Rade Krunic.

Following this transfer, two former teammates who grew up in the Altınordu youth academy, Çağlar Söyüncü and Cengiz Ünder, have reunited years later under the Fenerbahçe jersey. Here is the story of Çağlar and Cengo (Cengiz Ünder) that began at Altınordu...

FROM ALTINORDU TO EUROPE

Born on May 23, 1996, in İzmir, Çağlar Söyüncü began his professional career in the 2011-12 season in the Bucaspor youth academy.

After playing there for one season, he transferred to 3rd League team Aliağa FK, and then moved to the Altınordu club in the 2014-15 season. Altınordu was the place where Çağlar first met Cengiz.

The paths of the Çağlar-Cengiz duo, who spent two seasons together at the Altınordu club, diverged in the 2016-17 season.

That season, while Cengiz Ünder transferred to Süper Lig team Başakşehir, Çağlar Söyüncü headed to Europe. The 27-year-old center-back transferred to German Bundesliga side Freiburg for a transfer fee of 8 million euros.

HE REPLACED MAGUIRE

Thus, Çağlar achieved great success by heading directly to Europe without ever playing in the Süper Lig. After his Freiburg adventure, Çağlar, who climbed the career ladder step by step, transferred to the Premier League in the 2018-19 season. Leicester City, which sold Harry Maguire to Manchester United for 80 million pounds, filled Maguire's spot with Çağlar Söyüncü. With his performance at the English club, Çağlar became an indispensable player in the starting 11. Due to his effective performance in the English League, Çağlar managed to be selected for the Premier League team of the season. However, things would not always go well for Çağlar. In the 2022-23 season, things were not going well for Çağlar, who had problems with Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers. Stating that he was not satisfied with the national footballer's training performance, Rodgers played him in only 7 league matches that season. After that season, Çağlar's Leicester career was about to end. Çağlar, who was wanted by Premier League giants just a season before, was now a 'fallen out of favor' footballer. At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Çağlar transferred to La Liga side Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone, who manages one of the best defensive teams in Europe and always gets the most out of the center-backs he brings to his team, could not get the efficiency he wanted from Çağlar. Çağlar Söyüncü, whose Atletico career was short-lived, returned to his country during the winter transfer window. The 27-year-old national center-back will now sweat for the success of Fenerbahçe.

ITALY, ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND TURKEY...

Cengiz Ünder, another footballer who grew up in the Altınordu youth academy, also transferred to Europe like his close friend Çağlar Söyüncü following his transfer to Başakşehir. After his Başakşehir career, Cengiz transferred to Italy's Roma for 14 million euros. This transfer fee went down in history as the biggest sale in the history of the Başakşehir Football Team. Displaying a consistent performance at the Italian club, Cengiz transferred to Leicester City, where Çağlar also played, in the 2020-21 season. Thus, the products of the Altınordu youth academy were reunited in England. Unable to find what he was looking for at Leicester City, Cengiz headed to Marseille for a transfer fee of 11 million euros. Spending one season at the French club, Cengiz transferred to Fenerbahçe in the 2023-24 summer transfer window.

WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ON THE PAPER SO YOU RECOGNIZE ME?

The duo of Cengiz Ünder and Çağlar Söyüncü, who have come together again under the Fenerbahçe jersey after a 3-season break, drew attention with their correspondence on social media.

Cengiz Ünder made a meaningful post by quoting a tweet that Fenerbahçe's new transfer Çağlar Söyüncü had posted in 2020, tagging him. On September 20, 2020, upon Cengiz Ünder's loan transfer to Leicester, Çağlar Söyüncü had said, ''I will wait for you at the airport. What should I write on the paper so you recognize me?'' Quoting this post, Cengiz Ünder replied to Çağlar Söyüncü with the same words.

THE İRFAN CAN KAHVECİ EFFECT

It is known that İrfan Can Kahveci also played an effective role in Çağlar's transfer to Fenerbahçe. The trio of İrfan, Cengiz, and Çağlar, who are close friends from the national team, will now fight for the success of Fenerbahçe. Let's see if these three close friends can end Fenerbahçe's 10-year championship drought.

WHICH JERSEY NUMBER WILL HE WEAR

Expected to choose one of the jersey numbers 2, 3, or 4, which are usually worn by center-back players, Çağlar Söyüncü chose the number 2 jersey after Serdar Aziz was already wearing the number 4 jersey.

CENGİZ AND ÇAĞLAR

What the two close friends, who will reunite for the 3rd time at Fenerbahçe, can do together has become a matter of curiosity.

Çağlar has already given this pose at the stadium in reference to their friendship.

Additionally, a symbolic photo of Cengiz and Çağlar in Fenerbahçe jerseys was prepared on social media.

Here is that visual:

News Source: Selçuk Çelik