Baran_Aksaka
Baran Aksaka
Turkish Footballer (born 2003)
Özgür Baran Aksaka (Bulgarian: Йозгюр Баран Аксака; born 29 January 2003) is a Turkish-Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for TFF First League club Gençlerbirliği, on loan from Galatasaray.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Özgür Baran Aksaka | ||
| Date of birth | (2003-01-29) 29 January 2003 (age 21) | ||
| Place of birth | Tekirdağ, Turkey | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Gençlerbirliği (on loan from Galatasaray) | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2023 | Galatasaray | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022– | Galatasaray | 1 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Şanlıurfaspor (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2024– | → Gençlerbirliği (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:11, 7 May 2024 (UTC) | |||
Aksaka was born Tekirdağ, Turkey, to a Turkish father and a mother of mixed Bulgarian and Turkish descent.[2] Starting playing aged eight, he joined Galatasaray academy in 2013.[3] He made his debut for the first team on 19 October 2022 in a Turkish Cup match against Kastamonuspor.[4] On 17 January 2023, Galatasaray extended his contract until the summer of 2026.[5] He completed his professional debut on 4 January 2023 in a league match against Ankaragücü.[6]
Aksaka became the champion in the Süper Lig in the 2022–23 season with the Galatasaray team. Defeating Ankaragücü 4-1 away in the match played in the 36th week on 30 May 2023, Galatasaray secured the lead with 2 weeks before the end and won the 23rd championship in its history.[7]
Loan to Şanlıurfaspor
On September 14, 2023, Aksaka has been loaned out to Şanlıurfaspor without an option to buy.[8]
Aksaka holds dual citizenship making him available for both Turkey and Bulgaria. In December 2022 it was reported that he received a call-up for Bulgaria U21 which he accepted.[2][9] A few days later Tolunay Kafkas expressed the desire to call Aksaka in the Turkey U21.[3] In an interview on 2 February 2023, Aleksandar Dimitrov, manager of Bulgaria U21, confirmed he personally spoke with Aksaka for representing the team in the qualifications for European Under-21 Championship starting from March 2023.[10] On 14 September 2023 he once again confirmed that Aksaka decided to represent Bulgaria on international level and was not called up for U21 matches in September, only because of lack of playing time on club level.[11]
Club
- As of 4 January 2023[1]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Galatasaray | Süper Lig | 2022–23 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Şanlıurfaspor (loan) | 1. Lig | 2023–24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
Galatasaray
- "Bulgaria - B. Aksaka - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
- "Turkish Super Lig: Galatasaray win title for 23rd time after beating Ankaragucu 4-1". BBC Sport. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- "RHA Ajans yazmıştı:Özgür Baran Aksaka ve Jospin Nshimirimana Şanlıurfaspor 'da". RHA Ajans (in Turkish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- "CUMHURİYETİN YÜZÜ, TÜRKİYE'NİN EN BÜYÜĞÜ, ŞAMPİYON GALATASARAY!". Galatasaray S.K. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- Baran Aksaka at Soccerway