“I struggled at Leicester City in the Championship, now I’m the Europa League’s joint-top scorer”- Leicester captured Turkish attacking midfielder who struggled on loan at Leicester City in the Championship now become joint-top scorer…
Leicester City have experienced both successes and setbacks in the transfer market, with one player now showcasing his talent after a challenging stint at the King Power Stadium.
The team that helped Leicester win the Championship title included several standout performers, playing an exciting brand of football under Enzo Maresca.
Academy graduate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who moved to Chelsea in the summer, was a dominant presence in midfield, while striker Jamie Vardy rediscovered his goal-scoring form.
Several new signings also impressed, notably goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, who has excelled as a Premier League shot-stopper.
While many players stood out on the road to promotion, one signing, Yunus Akgun, who joined on loan, failed to make the impact Maresca had hoped for.
Yunus Akgun struggled during his loan at Leicester City in the Championship In the summer of 2023, Leicester secured Turkish attacking midfielder Yunus Akgun on loan from Galatasaray. The 24-year-old, with 14 international caps, arrived as a versatile option capable of playing across the front line, impressing as a winger or attacking midfielder in the Turkish Super Lig.
However, Akgun found it difficult to secure regular playing time at Leicester, with Maresca preferring Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi on the wings, while Dewsbury-Hall played as an advanced playmaker. Maresca also noted that Akgun struggled physically in the Championship and needed to adjust to the demands of English football.
“Yunus is struggling a little bit with the rhythm, probably because in Turkey the rhythm is a bit slower. Here, it’s faster, and the pace of the game is different,” Maresca explained. “He’s had a muscle issue, but he’s getting better. I like Yunus and would like to give him more minutes, but he needs to adapt to the physicality of English football.”
Despite Maresca’s hopes for improvement, Akgun’s performances did not meet expectations, and he only made nine starts during the Championship season.
While physicality and inconsistency were hurdles in English football, Akgun has found new form since returning to Galatasaray, shining in the Europa League.
Yunus Akgun is now the joint-top scorer in the Europa League Some players struggle with the physical demands of English football, and Akgun was one of them. However, he has not let his Leicester experience hold him back. Now back at Galatasaray, the attacking midfielder is excelling both domestically and in Europe.
Including a spectacular goal against Tottenham, Akgun is currently tied as the Europa League’s top scorer, level with Manchester United’s Rasmus Højlund, both with five goals.
Across all competitions, Akgun has accumulated nine goals and four assists in just 21 appearances, showing his growing confidence and success in European football since his return to Turkey.
