Trabzonspor's Yusuf Yazıcı's struggles to regain glory on return
Trabzonspor's Yusuf Yazici during the UEFA Europa League Group H match against Ferencvaros at Şenol Güneş Stadium, Trabzon, Türkiye, Nov. 3, 2022. (Getty Images Photo)


In a groundbreaking transfer preceding the 2019-2020 season, Yusuf Yazıcı made his move from Trabzonspor to Ligue 1's Lille, commanding a jaw-dropping transfer fee.

However, the Black Sea Storm eagerly awaited his return on loan this season, only to find themselves disheartened by his inability to live up to the lofty expectations.

To add to the disappointment, Yazıcı was conspicuously absent from the squad in the last two matches, casting further doubts on his standing.

Yusuf Yazıcı's transfer to Lille came with a staggering price tag of 16.5 million euros ($17.7 million), setting a new record for Trabzonspor.

As he took the field for Lille in 25 matches, his prowess translated into a remarkable 1 million euros increase in revenue after just one season, establishing him as the player with the highest transfer fee in Trabzonspor's history, boasting a remarkable total of 17.5 million euros.

Returning to his burgundy-blue roots on loan this season, Yazıcı was eagerly included in the squad for the match against Ümraniyespor in the fifth week of the league.

It was in the second half of the enthralling Ferencvaros match in the UEFA Europa League that he finally made his presence felt.

Yet, Yazıcı's path has not been without obstacles.

His journey was hindered by injury and suspension, casting a shadow on his time in the Trabzonspor colors.

Remaining on the field for a mere 45 minutes in the Ferencvaros match, he suffered a debilitating injury that was later diagnosed as strain and edema in the left knee inner lateral ligament.

Consequently, Yazıcı was denied the opportunity to showcase his skills in two league matches and one cup fixture.

While still recovering from his injury, fate dealt another blow as Yazıcı found himself suspended with a red card in the highly-anticipated Beşiktaş clash during Süper Lig's 10th week.

His direct red card, incurred for an intervention against Gedson in extra time, prevented him from participating in the subsequent league matches against Sivasspor and Konyaspor.

Unfortunately, Yazıcı's fortunes did not improve during his time at Trabzonspor.

In the latter stages of Abdullah Avcı's tenure as coach, injuries and suspensions limited his playing time significantly.

Even after Avcı's departure, he found himself overlooked by both İhsan Derelioğlu, who temporarily took charge and Croatian coach Nenad Bjelica.

Throughout the league, Yazıcı's appearances were restricted to a mere 13 games, clocking 501 minutes on the field and netting a modest three goals.

Notably, Croatian coach Nenad Bjelica chose to exclude Yazıcı from the squad in the last two matches, a decision that has left many speculating about the player's future with the team.

In a glimmer of hope, Yazıcı managed to make a fleeting appearance in the Sivasspor match, playing for 29 minutes, but his injury prevented him from featuring in the subsequent Konyaspor encounter.

Despite being in the match squad for Ankaragücü, he was unable to secure playing time and was subsequently omitted from the squads for matches against Fenerbahçe and Fatih Karagümrük.

Harkening back to his early days, Yazıcı burst onto the scene as a Trabzonspor A team player during the 2015-2016 season but his form of late has left a lot to be decided thanks to injuries and unfavorable technical decisions.