Furkan Bayir – Alanyaspor’s industrious ball-playing centre-back
Furkan Bayir has only been with Alanyaspor for a year since moving from the Turkish Second Division as he has quickly developed into one of the better ball-playing defenders, leading the league in passing and appearing in a multitude of ball-progression metrics. The 22-year-old is deployed in Alanyaspor’s possession-based system as he has gone from strength to strength as he is one of the first names on the team sheet. Turkey has had luck in producing well-rounded ball-playing centre-backs as Bayir is the next player off the production line who will be looking to earn a move to one of Europe’s top leagues.
Bayir was born in Izmir as he came through the academy at Menemenspor, attracting interest from Galatasary and many of the top teams in Turkey as in his first 15 games, he was already touted as an outstanding player. In September 2020, it only took two games for the youngster to receive a call-up to the Turkish U21 side as this was all the more impressive, due to the fact that he was playing in the Turkish Second Division. By January, after 15 games in the Second Division and 1 in the Ziraat Turkish Cup, Alanyaspor swooped quickly to sign the youngster to a four-and-a-half-year deal as he would remain on loan in the Turkish Second Division until the end of the season. His move to Alanyaspor and the appointment of Francesco Farioli allowed him to transition into a key player in the Turkish Super Lig as he is now one of the leading centre-backs in the country.
Playing under Farioli has allowed Bayir to grow in possession as the 22-year-old possesses tools out of possession, he can cover space to make tackles, be it moving from side-to-side as well as pushing up into space to make tackles or interceptions as he can also cover for teammates who move out of position. In 1v1s, he is unafraid as he relishes 50/50 battles, making sliding challenges while the young centre-back is also very strong in aerial duels. With possession, the system encourages him to drive the ball forward and play deep passes in between the lines as the movement in between the lines, constantly creates passing options for the youngster to play the ball to. Bayir will normally play sideways passes but is very authoritative with his distribution as he is comfortable passing the ball through pressure, driving the ball forward and playing through tight lines of pressure.
Last season, at home to Ankaragucu, he was playing as a left-sided centre-back despite being right footed as he drove the ball forward to work a pass into the six-space before his team would lose possession in the opposition half as the opposition looked to break on the counter-attack. Bayir was marking a striker and retained his focus to track him on a vertical run as the ball was played in behind his centre-back partner but Bayir was perfectly positioned on the cover to make a clean tackle and close down the attacking move. After another turnover in the opposition half and counter-attack, Bayir retained his focus once more to hold his position and make a crucial block on a shot. Bayir is innately skilled at covering crosses showing brilliant anticipation to make interceptions and blocks as he is already well-rounded defensive presence. In the pressing phase, he won an aerial duel, remaining touch tight to his marker as the opposition switched the ball to the opposite flank, he constantly scanned to check his attacker’s position as well as ascertaining the trajectory of the delivery from the opposite flank as he pushed forward when the delivery was made to make a terrific block.
In another sequence, Bayir showed that he is both diligent in the air and on the ground as he is capable of defending a high-line as he pushed forward to win an aerial duel in the pressing phase before pushing forward to make a tackle in a high-line. In possession, he received possession to play a penetrative line-breaking pass to the eight space as the defender covered for his right-sided centre-back in a counter-attack, making a tackle to regain possession in a 1v1 situation. His brilliance as a 1v1 defender allows him to regain possession in a variety of awkward situations, be it in counter-attacking situations, covering for his partner and after possession is lost in build-up or the attacking phase. The 22-year-old then covered space to make an aerial interception before his team lost a second ball from an opposition goal-kick as Bayir was positioned perfectly to make a well-timed interception. After another turnover, he pushed up to make a well-timed tackle in the counter-pressing phase. In possession, he took a touch and played a brilliant line-breaking pass to the ten space.
At home to Hatayspor, he received possession under pressure to push the ball wider with his directional first touch before playing a line-breaking pass to the right half-space to instigate a counter-attacking move. In another situation where he received possession while under pressure, he allowed the ball to roll to his weaker left foot before shifting possession to his right, skipping past a defender and playing a penetrative pass into the next line. Bayir won possession from a goal-kick situation to hold possession and play a pass to a teammate before he pushed forward to receive possession in the opposition half, taking a touch and pushing the ball forward to adjust his body and thread a pass into the central spaces. At home to Konyaspor, the 22-year-old received possession to drive the ball forward before adjusting his body to play a deep pass in between the lines.
Bayir showed his phenomenal sense of anticipation when he stepped up to make a well-timed interception to regain possession before he received possession in the opposition half to thread a pass to the ten space. In the build-up phase, he pushed forward to receive a pass in space, driving the ball forward to play a line-breaking pass to the ten space as he played another progressive pass, receiving possession and playing a deep pass to the ten space. He regained possession by winning another aerial duel from an opposition goal-kick as the 22-year-old regained possession once more, using his positioning as a direct pass was played into an attacker in his zone as Bayir made a goal-side movement to deny him direct access to goal before the attacker slipped and Bayir nonchalantly before driving the ball forward and spreading a pass into the wide areas. In crossing and many defensive situations, Bayir innately positions himself goal-side of his attackers as this allows him to make crucial blocks as he was positioned goal-side of his attacker when a cross was played into the box for Bayir to win an aerial duel and head the opportunity away. In possession, Bayir evaded pressure by stringing together passing connections, receiving the ball under pressure to work a pass to the flank before moving into space to receive possession once more and play a deep pass in between the lines.
At home to Fenerbahce, Alanyaspor would switch to a back-three as Bayir began the game as a wide left-sided centre-back as he tracked a runner into the left zone to make a clean and well-timed tackle. He moved into a central centre-back role as he received possession and attempted to nonchalantly flick a ball to the six-space as it was intercepted by an opposition attacker as Bayir would regain possession in the box to play a line-breaking pass to a midfielder to instigate a counter-attacking move. There is an element of risk and reward with Bayir’s game as there are moments where he can be careless with possession in the deeper areas but his ability as a progressive passer has seen a marked improvement in the last year. The 22-year-old received possession in the opposition half to play the ball to the wide areas before he received possession once more, under pressure to play a sideways pass to a teammate as he received possession once more to drive the ball forward and play a line-breaking pass to the ten space.
As Alanyaspor were in the pressing phase, Bayir was positioned in a high-line when the opposition progressed the ball in between the lines, the young Turk got engaged and moved closer to his attacker, remaining touch tight to him as his attacker received possession while Bayir forced a turnover. He operated in a high-line once more, making another anticipatory movement to make a tackle and regain possession in the opposition half as he is a phenomenal pressing defender as well as being a brilliant counter-pressing defender. At home to Gaziantep, he played a deep pass in between the lines to instigate a build-up move before he received possession to play another deep pass in between the lines. The 22-year-old drove the ball forward to play another deep pass in between the lines.
At home to the Turkish Champions in Istanbul Basaksehir, he played some diligent vertical line-breaking passes before pushing to win possession in the counter-pressing phase. In a press-resistant sequence, the goalkeeper played the ball to Bayir while he was under pressure for the centre-back to play a one-touch pass to the six-space as the 22-year-old normally looked to play the ball to the wide areas. In a match away to Altay, he held possession to roll a fantastically weighted pass in between the lines as he participated in another press-evading situation, receiving the ball and working a pass to the six-space to facilitate a switch. He worked another pass into the six-space as the midfielders were alternating as the midfield duo worked combinations with each other to evade pressure. The young Turkish centre-back would regularly regain possession in the channels as he is unafraid of venturing into the wide areas to make tackles before he would win an aerial duel to deflect a cross from goal and make a block on a shot. Bayir finished the game with a 95% pass succession rate, winning 2/2 aerial duels with 3 interceptions and 1 block.
At home to Besiktas, Bayir made a movement to cover for his left-sided centre-back as he was turned by Michy Batshuayi who flicked the ball around him and applied the finish. Despite his early error, he continued to be a diligent high-line centre-back, constantly pushing forward to win aerial duels while also winning duels on the ground. He exhibited his well-rounded ability when he received possession, taking a touch and playing a brilliant line-breaking pass to the attacking line as the ball was turned over for Bayir to make a clean challenge in a 1v1 to regain possession. In the final game of the season, away to Fatih Karamgumruk, he was moving to the ball-near flank to close down space, constantly scanning the striker behind him and tracking his run to make a well-timed interception. In another 1v1 situation, he won an aerial duel in a high-line as in another situation, his defensive partner had a pass intercepted in the build-up phase for Bayir to react quickly, pushing forward to make an interception to regain possession.
In another 1v1 situation, he closed down an attacker, positioning himself touch tight to him as he received a deep pass in between the lines for Bayir to stretch his legs and prod the ball out of his stride. During a counter-attack, he was scanning once more to ensure that the attacker behind him did not wriggle free as he gestured for his defensive partner to close him down before stretching to intercept a deep pass into the zone. In possession, he received the ball with an opposition attacker pushing up to close him down from his right as Bayir controlled the ball with his in-step to then play a pass to the six-space with his second touch to evade pressure. In the opening of the game of the current season, at home to Fatih Karamgumruk, he exhibited his excellent defensive awareness when he moved in between two attackers to cover for his centre-back partner while also maintaining a distance to cover his man. The ball was played in behind his defensive partner as Bayir was positioned perfectly to make an interception.
In a short goal-kick situation, Bayir received possession in his own box with a player pushing up to apply pressure on him for the young centre-back to play a line-breaking pass to the six-space that evaded three defenders. During the pressing phase, he pushed up to make a well-timed interception in a 1v1 situation before he received possession in the build-up phase, playing a line-breaking pass to instigate an attacking move. Bayir’s intelligent positioning and quick reactions give him tremendous potential as an authoritative defensive presence as his team were in a tight defensive block as he was man-marking the opposition attacker as the responsibility was shifted to his right back as the opposition moved the ball to the opposite flank. He retained his focus to track a late run from deep into the nine-space while remaining goal-side of his attacker to make a heroic last-ditch block. He made another crucial intervention which was underpinned by his focus and defensive mind, marking the opposition attacker, pushing in front of him when the ball moved deeper in anticipation of an early ball into the channels as when the ball was moved to the right flank, Bayir purposefully positioned himself goal-side of his attacker, tracking his run to the near post to make a crucial block.
In the two previous sequences, Bayir proved his ability to defend in low block situation as he is immensely capable of defending in a high-line as well as he pushed forward to make another turnover in the opposition half in a 1v1 situation with the opposition striker. In another 1v1 situation, he got goal-side of his attacker to deflect a cross out for a corner. His 1v1 defending, positioning and quick reactions allow to be effective at defending crossing situations from the near post and the back-post. In a near post situation, he was positioned perfectly to make another crucial block in a crossing situation. At home to Antalyaspor, he received possession to drive the ball forward and play a deep line-breaking pass to the nine-space to instigate an attacking move. In the build-up phase, he received possession under pressure to play another deep pass to the nine-space as he is so accomplished at adjusting his body to direct deep line-breaking passes in between the lines. After a turnover in the opposition half, the opposition played a deep pass into the left channel for Bayir to cover and regain possession in 1v1 situation against his attacker.
Moments later, the 22-year-old had to cover for his partner once more on another deep pass into the left channel, cleanly regaining possession from the opposition attacker by poking the ball away from him. Away to Hatayspor, he received possession to drive the ball forward and thread a line-breaking pass to the ten space. In the counter-pressing phase, he pushed into the opposition half to win an aerial duel and regain possession as he was positioned perfectly to make an interception in the counter-pressing phase, receiving possession to drive the ball into the opposition half and lob a pass to the wide areas. In the build-up phase, he drove the ball forward, trading passes with the deepest-lying midfielder in the six-space before working a pass to the wide areas as he received a lay-off from the six-space to hold possession, attracting pressure from two opposition attackers to flick a pass to his defensive partner who had space to push up and drive the ball. Deep in added time with his team a man down, he received possession to drive the ball forward, lobbing a pass to the ten space for a flick-on as a teammate had a shot on goal.
Bayir has probably been the best and most proficient ball-playing centre-back in Turkey this season as he leads the league in passes, ranking in the top 25 in long passes while he also leads Turkey in ball-progression by passes. The 22-year-old also leads Turkey in progressive passes and passes to the final third. In possession, he has become more comfortable in driving the ball forward and playing deep passes in between the lines or receiving possession under pressure to thread passes in between the lines to the ten and nine-space. He has mastered the art of driving towards the wide areas to contort his body and thread passes into the central lines as this allows him to play the ball progressively from a variety of body shapes and angles. Bayir has become more comfortable under pressure, attracting pressure and knowing when to release the ball in penetrative fashion with perfect weighting and precision. He is comfortable receiving possession on the halfway line or within the opposition half to recycle attacking moves as he can drive the ball forward to thread passes in between the lines, spread play with switches and lobs or working passing combinations so teammates can move into space to receive the ball.
Defensively, Bayir is tremendous 1v1 defender who can tightly mark target men, pushing up to regain possession in the pressing phase as he can win the ball on the ground and in the air, being able to step up and regain possession in the counter-press. He is comfortable in moving into the wide areas to defend larger spaces while he has developed a mastery at winning the ball in awkward situations, especially from opposition counter-attacks. He knows when to push up and engage the opposition player in possession while also knowing when to hold his position to make an interception. The 22-year-old is constantly scanning and checking for runners behind him in order to make interceptions as this allows him to be pivotal defensive presence in blocking crosses into the box and denying strikers high quality shooting opportunities. Bayir has an intelligent defensive brain and focus while he has the physical tools as he is quickly developing into one of the more well-rounded centre-backs in world football.
Bayir has a contract until 2025 as he will begin to add some International caps to his Turkish Super League experience in 2023. Bayir would excel with Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla as his ball-playing and ability as a 1v1 defender could make him Monchi’s next great find in the position. Celta Vigo, Villareal and Almeria would all be good landing spots for the young centre-back while in France, Rennes, Lens, Lille, Nice and Monaco would be good clubs for him. In Serie A, Lazio, Fiorentina, Atalanta, Udinese, Roma, Torino, Monza, Bologna and Sassuolo would be good landing spots for the youngster. In the Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt are the main club that would suit his skillset as in three years, Bayir has the potential to develop into a Premier League defender. Bayir’s experience with Alanyaspor and the progressive style of football that they play has given him a good foundation to build from to become a high-level centre-back.
