With Turkish attacking midfielder Erhun Oztumer dominating for Walsall in the mid-to-late 2010s, it seemed as though the EFL had discovered yet another great gem of attacking talent.
Oztumer was highly regarded and, of course, highly sought after. He was dubbed the “Turkish Messi” because of his diminutive size and magical performances. However, his subsequent moves to Bolton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic, and Bristol Rovers left all three clubs feeling defeated by his incredibly poor performances.
Oztumer, who is of Turkish Cypriot ancestry and was born in Greenwich, started his junior career with Charlton and Fisher Athletic before joining Turkish team Manisaspor at the age of 16.
He started his professional career with Sivasspor, but he had to play for Anadolu Uskudar in the Turkish football leagues’ lower divisions in order to obtain regular playing time.
After returning to England, Oztumer spent a few seasons playing midfield for Dulwich Hamlet of the Isthmian League, where he scored 60 goals in 96 games.
In 2014, Oztumer was signed by Peterborough United, which is frequently commended for their astute scouting and recruitment, especially from non-league teams. However, despite Oztumer’s two seasons at London Road, Posh allowed him to leave on a free transfer, and in the summer of 2016, he chose to sign with Walsall.
Oztumer really came into his own and fulfilled the enormous promise he had displayed in the Midlands, but it was also there that he peaked and deceived future clubs.
Erhun Oztumer struggled at Bolton Wanderers but was exceptional at Walsall.
Erhun Oztumer established himself as one of League One’s top attacking midfielders during his two seasons at Walsall, gaining a berth on the PFA’s League One Team of the Year in both seasons.
As Walsall finished 14th in the 2016/17 season, with only one victory in their final ten games, Oztumer quickly established himself.
Oztumer made his debut out wide against AFC Wimbledon in a 3-1 home win on the first day, before swiftly moving into the middle of the pitch and the so-called ‘number 10’ position.
Oztumer was known for his close control and vision, and he had incredible technical talent for his level, as evidenced by his regular goal scoring, one of which came in a 4-1 defeat against future side Bolton in mid-February.
Oztumer’s form and overall involvement due to injury corresponded with Walsall’s decline, but his statistics remained impressive throughout the season, with 15 goals and five assists in 41 third-tier matches.
That was backed up the following season, when he scored 15 goals and supplied six assists for the Saddlers on their way to placing 19th, possibly earning him further accolades for his consistency.
Oztumer was largely considered as having single-handedly kept Walsall competitive in the third level, and it may not be a coincidence that they were relegated in the 2018/19 season, the first after Oztumer’s departure from the Bescot Stadium.
That’s because he left in 2018 to join Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer, although it never looked like a good idea.
After being promoted to League One in 2016/17, Bolton avoided relegation on the penultimate day of the 2017/18 season under Phil Parkinson’s management.
Parkinson was and remains known for a highly functional style of play that is percentage-based in offense but incredibly difficult to play and score against. It isn’t a system that supports a player like Oztumer, and it may be far more reliant on physicality in all positions.
Furthermore, Oztumer was joining a club with a significant crisis simmering beneath the surface, which would soon influence his career and compel him to leave.
After a disappointing debut season in which Bolton was relegated, with Oztumer making only eight league starts and providing no direct goal involvement for a team lacking quality or attacking output, the former Peterborough man was one of many Bolton players to go on strike on the penultimate day of the season, at home to Brentford, due to unpaid wages.
Oztumer was one of the few players who remained under contract with the club over the summer, but he, like Josh Magennis, chose to train but then refused to play after the season’s opening day against Wycombe Wanderers, leaving Bolton to field academy players for the first month of the season as administration was announced.
The circumstances provided Oztumer with the opportunity to leave a move that had gone disastrously wrong both on and off the pitch, and he was able to return to the Championship as well as to the capital city with a return to Charlton.
Erhun Oztumer failed to rekindle his spark at Charlton and Bristol Rovers.
After giving his notice at Bolton owing to continued financial troubles, Oztumer secured a return to Charlton, signing a two-year contract with the second-tier Addicks.
His first season, following a rough preseason, was challenging, disrupted by the start of his campaign and then by the COVID-19 pandemic, which cut the season short in early spring.
Oztumer struggled to obtain a continuous run in the side, making just 11 starts at The Valley as Charlton was relegated to the third tier.
Oztumer was expected to become a vital player for Charlton after moving down a level, but despite a number of early season starts, he failed to make an impression.
If anything, his ineffectiveness un those games increased his chances of leaving, and he subsequently signed on loan with fellow League One club Bristol Rovers for the rest of the season.
With the Gas, Oztumer appeared to be talented enough to start right away, or at least his reputation preceded him, but he struggled to regain any of the form he had at Walsall.
Oztumer eventually concluded his time at the Memorial Ground without a goal in 10 starts as they finished dead last in League Two, his third relegation.
Oztumer left Charlton at the conclusion of his contract in 2021 and, astonishingly, went on to play in the Turkish top flight for Fatih Karagumruk and Adana Demirspor before returning to the lower leagues with Magusa Turk Gucu.
The 34-year-old was a tremendously productive and even enthralling footballer in the appropriate atmosphere when things were going well and he was the absolute main man, such as with Dulwich and Walsall, which explains the Messi parallels, albeit they were always absurdly strong.
His 5 ft 3 frame and inability to adapt to more difficult situations, such as at Bolton and Charlton, also prevented him from being an EFL cult hero or stalwart.
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