Kezman Would Welcome Move to Bundesliga

Kezman Would Welcome Move to Bundesliga
By Nathan L. Redd

Fenerbahce striker Mateja Kezman has endured a tumultuous season in Kadikoy. He missed much of the first half with an injury and lost his starting spot to rising star Semih Senturk. His difficulties have led to speculation that Kezman's time in Turkiye could be winding down.

Kezman recently conducted an interview with media outlet Express in which he seemed resigned to knowing that his time in Turkiye may be limited. Kezman stated he would welcome a move to another European league like the German Bundesliga. In the interview, Kezman stated “I still have a contract with Fenerbahce and know that the club are happy with me. I scored important goals last year particularly in the Cup and the Champions League. However, I think you can only play in the Turkish league for a certain amount of time." It's widely believed that the Turkcell Super Lig is a difficult league for strikers because of the defensive nature of the league, but other top goal scorers have flourished, including the rising star Semih Senturk this year.

When asked about a potential move to the Bundesliga, Kezman told Express “I love it. The style of play is similar to that in the Eredivisie where I had a super time with PSV, so I don’t think I’d find it too difficult to adapt. I think that within the next three years a German club will win a European trophy. The league has some real superstars like Ribéry, van der Vaart, Kuranyi and Pantelic. It would be an honor to play alongside such big names."

Despite his struggles and loss of starting position, Kezman remains confident in his abilities. “When I am fit, I’m among the top five strikers in Europe. If a club wants me then it’s no problem. The financial things will take care of themselves.”

Speculation in Istanbul has been that Kezman may be on his way out during the January transfer window. It is believed that Fenerbahce will make several moves, and AC Milan star Ronaldo has been mentioned as a possible newcomer to Turkiye. Fener has not issued any specific statement recently regarding the status of Mateja Kezman.