Scouting Report: Burak İnce

It is the 87th minute in a game in 1. Lig, Turkey’s second division, between Boluspor and Altınordu. The two teams are drawing 1-1, when a ball is played up field on the counterattack. Altınordu winger Ahmet Dereli runs onto the loose pass, squaring a perfect ball to the supporting midfielder.

He takes one touch with his right foot, before calmly side footing past the goalkeeper for the winner. The game itself has no particular relevance, with it still early days in the season, but the identity of the goalscorer does. He is 16.

Players of this tender age are not uncommonly found in 1. Lig. Hacı Ömer Doğru is the youngest, debuting for Sakaryaspor in May 2012 a month after turning 15. Meanwhile future Celta Vigo midfielder and current Turkish international Okay Yokuşlu also began playing for Altay before his 16th birthday.

To that list we can add our mystery goalscorer, although he is something special. We are talking after all about someone who signed their first professional contract at the age of 15 in June 2019 to prevent other clubs snapping him up.