Germany under-21 European champion Salih Özcan has decided to play senior team football for Turkey and has been picked for next week's friendly against Italy by coach Stefan Kuntz.

Cologne midfielder Özcan said on Friday in an Instagram post that after long deliberations he has decided "out of conviction" to play for the birth country of his parents.

"I want to play for Turkey," he said, adding that this decision "not the least diminishes my respect for Germany and the DFB (German) team."

Özcan, 24, was born in Germany and played in all German national teams from under-15 level.

He won the 2021 under-21 Euro title under Kuntz who became Turkey coach in autumn and "who now told me about my importance for the Turkish national team."

He said before his decision he had good talks with Germany coach Hansi Flick who has fielded several players from the under-21 side lately.