FenerbahceWorldwide.org Is Here!!!

FenerbahceWorldwide.org Is Here!!!
By Nathan L. Redd

In case you missed the article below, we have officially moved to our new website - www.fenerbahceworldwide.org. It's everything you loved about the blog, but with a lot more news, stories, photos, and more! Come check it out!

The "New" Fenerbahce Worldwide!!!

The "New" Fenerbahce Worldwide!!!
By Nathan L. Redd

You may have noticed lately that we've been a little slower to post news and articles around here. Although none of us claim to be "workaholics" we haven't become too lazy either. We've been working on the brand new Fenerbahce Worldwide site. Finally, after nearly eight months of planning and four months of development, it's almost ready! The new site, www.fenerbahceworldwide.org, will launch on Monday, January 28th.

The new site will be all of the things you have enjoyed about the blog, but lots more information and content. There will be more pictures, more news, more articles, more commentaries, etc. We'll be introducing interviews, expanded coverage and content, and more!

There will be some big changes with the new site, and we think you will like them. From taking a look at our visitors, we know that many Turk and non-Turk fans visit our site. We are thrilled to see so many visitors from Brasil, Spain, and so many other countries. In order to serve as many fans as possible, we knew we needed to expand our accessibility also. So, we are proud to announce that the new Fenerbahce Worldwide will feature full-length, complete sections in English, Turkish, and Portugese with plans to add Spanish later. We're also happy to announce the addition of Cristina Prado to our team. Cristina is a native of Sao Paolo, Brasil and like so many others, became a Fenerbahce fan through the team's Brasilian connections. Cristina and I will be providing content in Spanish and English, while she will also be writing in Portugese. Our other team member, Ozgur, will continue to provide content for us in English and now Turkish as well.

Another exciting change about the website is that you will be able to create your own free, personalized account. This feature will allow you to leave comments and converse with other Fenerbahce fans, while also providing exclusive access in the future to more content. While the new website is going to be a huge step up from the blog, it's only the beginning of what we hope to add in the future. Another feature that we'll be adding is guest contributors to the site. While Ozgur, Cristina, and myself all love Fenerbahce, we know that we don't have expertise in every area of the club and Turk futbol. Therefore, we will occasionally feature articles, commentaries, and features from experts on the club, Turk futbol, and even experts within the club itself.

We have one goal with Fenerbahce Worldwide, which is to take the club to as many people as possible using every outlet available. Our team now consists of two Turks, a Brasilian, and an American, indicating how global Fenerbahce has truly become. However, with both Fenerbahce and our website, we know the best is yet to come. We want you to be a part of it, and we hope you'll like the new site!

Turkcell Süper Lig Weekend Scores

Turkcell Süper Lig Weekend Scores
By Nathan L. Redd

Saturday, January 26:

Genclerbirligi OFTASSpor 3 - 2 Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyespor
Besiktas 3 -1 Gaziantepspor

Sunday, January 27:

Vestel Manisaspor 3 - 2 Denizlispor
Kasimpasa 0 - 2 Kayserispor
Konyaspor 1 - 3 Ankaraspor
Sivasspor 1 - 4 Fenerbahce
Ankaragucu 0 - 4 Galatasaray

Monday, January 28:

Bursaspor v. Genclerbirligi - 19:00
Caykur Rizespor v. Trabzonspor - 20:00

Fener Hands Sivas First Home Loss of the Season

Fener Hands Sivas First Home Loss of the Season
By Nathan L. Redd

Despite the thermometer reading, Sivas felt awfully hot today for Fenerbahçe. With gametime temperatures hovering around -5 degrees celcius, Fener heated up the Turkcell Süper Lig standings by handing Sivasspor their first home loss of the season. The 4-1 scoreline also moved Fener temporarily into first place until the Galatasaray result.

The icy pitch kept players moving tentatively, but Fener dominated early play. Time of possession was clearly on the Canaries' side early on with several opportunities to take command. After 28 minutes, Alex de Souza got the offense going with a shot past the goalkeeper to temporarily quiet the Sivas crowd. Eleven minutes later, Semih Şentürk devastated the home fans with a second goal that put Fener up 2-0 heading into the break. Much of the red and white-clad fans were feeling down as it appeared Sivas would lose its hold on the top spot in the Turkcell Süper Lig.

The second half started with a different look from the home side. Sivas came out attacking, looking to equalize and keep their hold on the standings. Several times they had chances to get on the boards early in the second half, and their attack finally paid off in the 58th minute. Musa Aydın put a shot just to the left of Volkan Demirel to cut the lead in half and energize the home fans. With renewed hope, Sivas continued to attack looking for an equalizing goal. With Sivas pressuring, Zico made two crucial moves to turn the tide in the game. He brought in Gokcek Wederson for Ugur Boral in the 65th minute. Then, nine minutes later, Zico replaced Semih Şentürk with Mateja Kezman. Kezman, with five goals in his last three apperances, continued his streak on Sunday. Only four minutes after checking in, Kezman devastated the home crowd with a beautifully-crossed ball from the left side. Kezman gained control and sent a right-footed bullet past the Sivas keeper to put Fener up 3-1. Eight minutes later Kezman added another goal, giving him seven goals in the last week and a half and putting Fenerbahçe up 4-1. The last goal ended the fantastic run at the top for Sivasspor.

The win put Fenerbahçe temporarily at the top of the standings before the end of the Galatasaray match. Fener still finds themselves only one point out of first place. With the win over Sivas, Fener has now scored nineteen goals in their last three games after receiving criticism for their lack of offense.

After the game, Zico told reporters "We absolutely deserved this victory. Despite not having the best conditions to play futbol, my players did what they had to and made sure that we stay at the top of the league." Regarding the fantastic play of Mateja Kezman, Zico stated "Kezman did his utmost to help his teammates. He is ready and I hope that he will continue at training hard."

Fener returns home next weekend to host Gençlerbirliği Oftaşspor. The two teams finished 1-1 in Ankara earlier this season.

Sivasspor - Fenerbahce Match Preview

Sivasspor - Fenerbahce Match Preview
By Ozgur R. Nazilli

On the eve of very exciting developments for Fenerbahce Worldwide, Fenerbahce is also preparing for a very important day. Today is the day that Sivasspor, the unbeaten leaders of Turkcell Super Lig faces the real leaders: Fenerbahce.

The game has been hyped up a great deal during the week by the Turkish media, with the effects reaching as far as England, as exemplified by an article by the Guardian about Sivasspor. The expectation is high, and stakes are higher. Even though it is only the 20th week of the season, a defeat here, no matter how unlikely it is, would set back Fenerbahce 5 points, boost Sivaspor's confidence by continuing their undefeated state even in the face of Fener, and renew the determinations of both Besiktas and Galatasaray. However, being the all-star-like team they are, Fenerbahce players have more than enough talent between themselves to end the unbeaten run of Sivasspor, and they will be looking to prove this today.

Interestingly enough, Sivasspor is the team that conceded the least amount of goals this season, and Fenerbahce is the team with the most goals scored. There certainly isn't a lack of scoring ability for Fenerbahce lately, with the team scoring 15 goals in the last two games. However, Sivas has only conceded 3 goals in their home ground this season, So the score is anyone's guess at the moment, with both sides' fans favouring their teams.

Sivasspor has yet to win a match in the 6 meetings they have had with Fenerbahce, and Zico and his students will be looking to build on this record. Sivas is definitely in a position that deserves the applause they are getting, and considering the huge gap between the budgets of the teams like Sivasspor compared to the likes of the Istanbulian big 3, Bulent Uygun and his team are on their way to making history. However, no matter how strong they appear to be, it is not very credible for an Anatolian team to win the championship, unfortunately. The word on the street is that, as usual, Besiktas, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce fans want their teams to come out on top, however if anyone is to win the title other than their own team, the consensus is that it should be Sivas.

No matter who wins, the football fans will watch some performances that are worthy of the top spot today. We as Fenerbahce Worldwide hope first and foremost that there will be no injuries in the game. Good luck to both teams, let the best team win!

Stephen Appiah Interview

Stephen Appiah Interview

English-language website Goal.com has published an interview with Fenerbahce midfielder Stephen Appiah on their website. In the interview, Appiah talks about his native Ghana's performance in the African Cup of Nations Tournament thus far.

To read the interview, in its entirety, check out http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=560942.

Tumer Metin Signs with Greek Squad AE Larissa

Tumer Metin Signs with Greek Squad AE Larissa
By Nathan L. Redd

Fenerbahce midfielder Tumer Metin has signed a deal with Greek squad AE Larissa, according to a statement released by the club on Friday. The deal ends Tumer's 19-month tenure with the Yellow Canaries.

Tumer signed with Fenerbahce in June 2006 after a successful stint at rivals Besiktas, where he spent five years. He played a pivotal part of Fenerbahce's 2006-2007 Turkcell Super Lig championship run. He's also been a member of the Turkiye National Team since 2005.

Fenerbahce was expecting to be without Tumer for much of this season due to injury and his pending Turk military commitment. The deal with AE Larissa is believed to delay his military commitment even further. Details of the deal have not yet been released.

AE Larissa currently plays in the Greek Super League. They finished last season in tenth place in the league, and currently sit in 13th place this season.

English Sides Interested in Kezman

English Sides Interested in Kezman
By Nathan L. Redd

With the January transfer window closing soon, two English clubs have expressed an interest in Fenerbahce striker Mateja Kezman. According to English newspaper The Guardian, Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur have both expressed an interest in the Serbian-born forward.

According to the report, Kezman would be available for a fee of approximately £5 Million, or just under $10 Million. A transfer of Kezman has been rumored for quite some time, and his four goals earlier this week may have put his name back in the eye of interested European clubs.

Despite transfer rumors, Kezman issued a statement recently indicating that he is not leaving Fenerbahce anytime in the near future. If Fener does not sign a new striker during the January transfer window, Kezman is likely to play a crucial role in the team's championship run.

Turkcell Süper Lig Weekend Schedule

Turkcell Süper Lig Weekend Schedule
By Nathan L. Redd

Saturday, January 26:

Genclerbirligi OFTASSpor v. Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyespor - 13:30
Besiktas v. Gaziantepspor - 19:00

Sunday, January 27:

Vestel Manisaspor v. Denizlispor - 13:30
Kasimpasa v. Kayserispor - 13:30
Konyaspor v. Ankaraspor - 13:30
Sivasspor v. Fenerbahce - 14:00 (7 AM EST in the U.S.)
Ankaragucu v. Galatasaray - 19:00

Monday, January 28:

Bursaspor v. Genclerbirligi - 19:00
Caykur Rizespor v. Trabzonspor - 20:00

Photos from Fenerbahçe 10 - 3 Alanyaspor

Photos from Fenerbahçe 10 - 3 Alanyaspor
By Nathan L. Redd

Turkish newspaper Hurriyet has an online gallery of photos from the Fener vs. Alanyaspor match on Wednesday. To check out photos from the game, click on http://fotogaleri.hurriyet.com.tr/galeridetay.aspx?cid=9244&p=1&rid=155 .

Goals for Everyone! Fenerbahçe Rolls 10-3 in Alanya

Goals for Everyone! Fenerbahçe Rolls 10-3 in Alanya
By Nathan L. Redd

Gol....and Gol Again! Fans who packed tiny Milli Egemenlik stadium in Alanya hoping for offense got their money's worth on Wednesday. Fenerbahçe overwhelmed third division Alanyaspor 10-3 behind four goals from Mateja Kezman to advance to the knockout stage of the Fortis Türkiye Cup.

It took 30 minutes to get the offensive onslaught rolling, but thirteen goals in the last 60 minutes kept the scoreboard active this afternoon. With the huge clash against Sivasspor coming up this weekend, Zico gave most of the starters a break, opting for valuable playing time for key reserves. No one needed an offensive outburst more than much-maligned striker Mateja Kezman, who put four goals in the back of the net to lead all scorers. He was followed by Mehmet Aurelio who got the Canaries rolling in the 31st minute, then added another at the 66-minute mark. Ilhan Parlak also added two goals for Fener in the 52nd minute, and again just three minutes later. Kemal Aslan, having scored two goals last weekend against Gaziantepspor, kept his hot streak going with another goal today in the first half. Colin Kazim-Richards would add a final goal just before the end of regulation to put the Canaries in double-digits for the day.

Volkan Babacan, starting in goal today for Fener, conceded three goals to Alanya. They were the first goals scored by Alanya during their Fortis Türkiye Cup run.

Zico went with a starting eleven of Volkan Babacan, Yasin Cakmak, Gokcek Wederson, Mateja Kezman, Onder Turaci, Ilhan Parlak, Ugur Boral, Gokhan Gonul, Colin Kazim-Richards, Kemal Aslan, and Mehmet Aurelio. Ali Bilgin, Gurhan Gursoy, and Can Arat all saw time as substitutes.

The win means Fenerbahçe has scored 15 goals in their last two games, coming after media criticized the team for a lack of offense previously. The Canaries know, however, the real test comes this weekend when the team travels to Sivas to take on the league-leaders.

After the game, Kezman told reporters "I'm very happy about scoring four goals which made my team the leader of our group. It was not unexpected, as I have been working and training really hard for the last couple of weeks. I knew that my comeback would be that fantastic."

The last two games have temporarily silenced critics who claimed Fener was going through a slump of sorts. A win in Sivas on Sunday would go a long way toward silencing those critics for good.

(photos courtesy of Hurriyet)

Fortis Türkiye Cup Match Day: Fener vs. Alanyaspor

Fortis Türkiye Cup Match Day: Fener vs. Alanyaspor
By Nathan L. Redd

Fenerbahçe is on the Mediterranean coast of Türkiye Wednesday, as they return to the pitch for their next Fortis Türkiye Cup match against Alanyaspor. Kickoff is scheduled for 13:30 (6:30 AM EST in the U.S.). With the game in Alanya, Fenerbahçe will have a chance to enjoy the mild weather of Türkiye's southern coast before traveling to Sivas this weekend for their huge clash. Temperatures are expected to be around 18 degrees at kickoff in Alanya.

Alanyaspor will be looking to pull off what would likely be one of the biggest upsets in Fortis Türkiye Cup history. Alanyaspor plays in Iddaa League B Group 2 and currently sits fourth in the standings with 27 points through 17 games. Iddaa League B is the third division of Turk futbol.

Alanyaspor Manager Muharrem Uğur knows it will take the game of a lifetime from his players to claim any points against the Turk champions. The green and orange side will host the Turk giants at their home stadium, Milli Egemenlik Stadium, but with a capacity of only 2,500, it will hardly be an intimidating venue. As always with Fenerbahçe, there is a large number of Fenerli's expected to be in attendance.

Fenerbahçe is coming off a huge 5-0 win over Gaziantepspor over the weekend, and they hope to take the momentum from a win in Alanya into their huge matchup this weekend. Fener travels to Sivas in northern Türkiye this weekend to play the league leaders Sivasspor in what will be one of the biggest matches of the season thus far. Fener star Alex de Souza returned to the lineup last weekend and provided a much-needed offensive spark to the Yellow Canaries. The win showed that a healthy Fener side is as dangerous as any in Europe.

Fenerbahçe and Alanyaspor kickoff at 13:30 in Alanya, Türkiye on Wednesday. Check back with Fenerbahce Worldwide for a full recap on photos after the match.

Who Needs a Striker? Fener Rolls 5-0

Who Needs a Striker? Fener Rolls 5-0
By Nathan L. Redd

Internet fan message boards have been going crazy lately with Fenerli's speculating about which striker the club should sign during the transfer window. Fenerbahçe answered with a resounding "who needs a striker?" with a dominating 5-0 win in Gaziantep on Sunday.

Fenerbahçe simply overwhelmed the Gaziantepspor goalkeeper with a barrage of shots early on. In the 14th minute, Semih Senturk nearly put Fener on the boards with a fantastic header that was stopped just short of the goal line. Despite the save, Fenerbahçe needed only ten more minutes to begin sending the scoreboards into a frenzy. Kemal Aslan, making a rare starting appearance, put Fener up 1-0. A cross from the right wing into the box found a series of deflections, but Aslan took a fantastic lobbing shot from the right side of the box that sailed over the heads of the defenders and goalkeeper. The goal quited the raucous Gaziantep crowd eager to cheer on the home red and black to a victory.

Eight minutes after Kemal's goal, Alex de Souza showed why he was sorely missed during his injury. Roberto Carlos sent a fantastic pass from the left side into the box, where Alex used a beautiful left-footed shot to send the ball past the goalkeeper, putting Fenerbahçe up 2-0. Despite the comfortable first half lead, the Yellow Canaries were just getting started. Three minutes later, Kemal Aslan would make his presence felt again. Kemal took a shot just right of the goal that would deflect off of Gaziantep defender Metin's arm into the goal, putting Fener up 3-0 with ten minutes left in the first half.

With a comfortable 3-0 lead, Fener could have put it in "cruise" in the second half, but the Canaries kept pressuring the Gaziantep defense with a onslaught of shots. Deivid de Souza would get the second half scoring started with a goal in the 56th minute adding to the day's dominant performance. Thirteen minutes later, Deivid would add a second goal to put the scoreline at 5-0, quieting the home fans and sending the Fener fans in attendance into a roar. "Today we showed everyone what we are capable of achieving. We were totally focused on the victory, so a 5-0-victory is not a surprise" he told media after the match.

Volkan Demirel found himself tested rarely in the match and was able to preserve the clean sheet. Mateja Kezman, Ali Bilgin, and Gokcek Wederson all entered the game as substitutes, but the damage was already done to the Gaziantep defense. Goalkeeper Volkan Demirel told reporters after the game "We all needed such a fantastic victory. We were frustrated about not getting the results we had wanted." With a gigantic game next weekend against league-leaders Sivasspor, Fenerbahçe could not have asked for a better result to build confidence and take pressure off the board from hearing about a new striker signing. Alex de Souza, returning from injury, again showed how valuable of a playmaker and scorer he is when healthy. Semih Senturk and Deivid de Souza again showed their reliability as offensive options headed into the Sivasspor match.

The win moves Fenerbahçe back into third place in the Turkcell Süper Lig with 41 points. Sivasspor, Galatasaray, and Besiktas all won this weekend to keep pace at the top. With only two points separating them from leaders Sivasspor, Fenerbahçe can potentially take over the league's top spot with a win next weekend. Galatasaray currently stands between Sivas and Fener with 42 points. They'll travel to the capital next weekend to take on seventh-place Ankaragucu.

(photos courtesy of Hurriyet)

Match Day: Fenerbahçe vs. Gaziantepspor

Match Day: Fenerbahçe vs. Gaziantepspor
By Nathan L. Redd

After a disappointing 2-2 draw in Kadıköy last weekend, Fenerbahçe is in Southeastern Anatolia Sunday to take on Turkcell Süper Lig opponents Gaziantepspor. Kickoff is schedule for 15:00 (8:00 AM EST in the U.S.).

Fenerbahçe will be looking to keep pace with league-leaders Sivasspor and Galatasaray, while Gaziantepspor is hoping to stay in the top half of the table. Following Sivasspor and Besiktas wins on Saturday, Fenerbahçe will need three points and pending the Galatasaray game on Sunday, the Yellow Canaries could move into second place. Fener currently sits in fourth place with 38 points. Gaziantepspor is currently in ninth place, in the midst of a logjam in the middle of the table. With 24 points, Gaziantep is tied with two other teams and only one point behind sixth-place Denizlispor. Despite being close to the top third of the league, Gaziantep's defense has been suspect so far this season. They've scored 23 goals on the season, but have given up 24 to their opponents. Fenerbahçe has scored 32 goals on the season, but has struggled offensively in the Turkcell Süper Lig recently. With injuries to Stephen Appiah, Alex de Souza, Deniz Baris, and Tumer Metin unavailable, Fener will be looking for scoring options to regain their earlier form. After a crucial goal in the Fortis Turkiye Cup, Zico and company are hoping for increased confidence and offensive prowess from striker Mateja Kezman. Zico also indicated earlier that Alex de Souza may see playing time in Gaziantep on Sunday. He told FB TV "Alex is healthy enough to play against Gaziantepspor. He has been training hard to get back in form."

Fenerbahçe and Gaziantepspor kickoff at 15:00 (8:00 AM EST in the U.S.) in week 19 of Turkcell Süper Lig action. For those outside of Türkiye, the game is available on a pay-per-view basis live online at www.digiturkwebtv.com.

Has Fenerbahce Reached a Deal with Maldonado?

Has Fenerbahce Reached a Deal with Maldonado?
By Nathan L. Redd

Several reports out of Istanbul Friday indicate that Fenerbahce may be close to finalizing a deal for Chilean star midfielder Claudio Maldonado. The 28-year-old defensive midfielder currently plays for Brasilian squad Santos FC.

Maldonado is highly regarded as one of the best players in South America and is known for his tremendous passing skill in addition to defensive tenacity. Reports earlier this week indicated that he may be close to signing with future Fenerbahce opponent Sevilla, but now rumors are circulating that Fener could sign him for a deal of 4 Million Euros. The deal is rumored to be a three-year contract and if true, the star could be in Istanbul this weekend to make it official.

We'll have more information on the rumored deal throughout the weekend as it becomes available.

Fenerbahce Clarify Appiah Situation

Fenerbahce Clarify Appiah Situation
By Nathan L. Redd

Earlier this week it was reported that Fenerbahce had frozen the contract of star midfielder Stephen Appiah. Reports began to circulate that speculated on the definition of such an action, implicating that Fener will cease to pay Appiah during the remainder of the deal.

Fenerbahce issued an official statement clarifying what the "freezing" of Appiah's contract means. In the statement, the club said "Following discussions between Stephen Appiah and club doctors, there is a consensus not to include him in the team for the second half of the season to better enable the process of treating his injury. As a result of his absence, an application has been made to the Turkish Football Association to adjust the quota of foreign players: our club would like to include another foreign player in the team for the six months when Appiah is due to be missing. There is no thought at all of cancelling or annulling the contract of Stephen Appiah." According to UEFA Champions League rules, Appiah can be removed from Fenerbahce's list and replaced by a new name before 1 February.

Fenerbahce is expected to move quickly to sign either a striker or midfielder during the current transfer window. Speculation has now shifted that Brasilian star Maldonado may be in Fener's transfer plans.

Fortis Türkiye Cup Match Day: Fenerbahçe v. Şanlıurfaspor

Fortis Türkiye Cup Match Day: Fenerbahçe v. Şanlıurfaspor
By Nathan L. Redd

Fenerbahçe returns to the pitch on Wednesday in Fortis Türkiye Cup action. The Sarı Lacivert host Turkish third division side Şanlıurfaspor at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Kick-off is slated for 20:00 (1 PM EST in the U.S.).

While the game seems like a blowout on paper, Fenerbahçe is coming in after a disappointing 2-2 draw with a former second division side on Sunday. Şanlıurfaspor, however, will be looking to play the game of their lives against the most famous club in Türkiye. They'll bring confidence with them, as they have scored two draws against other Turkcell Super Lig teams, Gaziantepspor and Kayserispor. They also have a big 3-0 win over Alanya. Fener needs three points today to keep their Fortis Türkiye Cup championship hopes alive.

Anticipated lineups for Wednesday's matchup are:

FENERBAHÇE:
Volkan Demirel
Gökhan Gonul
Edu Dracena
Diego Lugano
Roberto Carlos
Deivid de Souza
Selçuk Sahin
Mehmet Aurelio
Ali Bilgin
Uğur Boral
Semih Senturk

ŞANLIURFASPOR:
Habip
Abdullah
Doğan
GökhanKül
GökhanG.
Burhan
Hayrullah
Ali
Şenol
Kamil
Fatih

Fenerbahce Suspends Appiah's Contract

Fenerbahce Suspends Appiah's Contract
By Nathan L. Redd

As reported earlier by Fenerbahce Worldwide's Ozgur Nazilli, Fenerbahce has suspended the contract of star midfielder Stephen Appiah as a result of his long-term injury. The move by the club frees up a spot under the Turkish Futbol Federation's foreign player limit.

Appiah has played in only six games this season as a result of the injury. He's been sidelined since suffering the original setback last spring. Appiah had surgery over the summer to repair torn ligaments in the knee, but has since developed a blood clot. The injury is expected to sideline Appiah at least until mid-summer.

Dr. Mehmet Kurdoglu stated "Treatment will immediately begin to dilute his blood. This will last for six months and during this period he shouldn't risk any contact that could cause bleeding to any part of his body." Kurdoglu added "It is risky for him to head the ball as even this could cause a cerebral hemorrhage. There is a 95 per cent chance that he will recover after the treatment and only a five per cent chance of a recurrence of the problem. At the moment he can only do light training."

Appiah was rumored to be making a return to Italy during the January transfer window, but the severity of his injury puts his future in question. Fenerbahce has suddenly found themselves in dire need of a midfielder and is expected to address the issue in the coming weeks.

Shocking News: Fenerbahce Officially Announces An Impending Transfer

Shocking News: Fenerbahce Officially Announces An Impending Transfer
By Ozgur R. Nazilli

Anyone who follows Fenerbahce news knows that the club has a rule that they abide by with no exceptions: Transfers are announced after they have been signed and they are for certain, not during the transfer process. This was true, until now. The official Fenerbahce website has declared, for the very first time in its history, that the club is working on transfers and further news will follow shortly.

As the fans know, Appiah has been sidelined for a long time now, and that looks to be the case for at least 6 more months, effectively diminishing the midfield strength of the team. When this was coupled with the departure of Tumer (which is not official yet but will happen, since his age doesn't permit him to play in Turkey anymore without doing his mandatory military service first) and the injuries of Deniz and Alex, a transfer had become a necessity for the continuing well being of the team. Fenerbahce has finally suspended the license of Appiah with the Turkish Football Federation, which means that they have freed up a foreign player quota. The official website, www.fenerbahce.org, broadcast this news tonight by Turkish time, and included a short yet immensely powerful side note in the article, in which they declared that the club was in the process of working on transfers and further explanation would follow shortly. This, although not too extraordinary for a football club, is a first in history for Fenerbahce, which has proven to be very exciting development, and is currently keeping fans awake and in front of their computers, mostly in Antu.com, to hear about the developments as soon as they happen.

More information and further developments will be made available on Fenerbahce Worldwide as events unfold.

Bolton, Portsmouth Chasing Kezman

Bolton, Portsmouth Chasing Kezman
By Nathan L. Redd

According to various reports, English sides Portsmouth and Bolton are interested in Fenerbahce striker Mateja Kezman. Fenerbahce has yet to make a move during the January transfer window, but rampant speculation has indicated that Kezman may make a move out of Turkiye. The player also recently commented that he believed his tenure in Istanbul may be coming to an end, and he would welcome a move to Germany's Bundesliga.

Turkish magazine Fotomac reports that Bolton is prepared to make a 5 Million Euro offer for Kezman. Goal.com reports that Portsmouth is also interested. Both English clubs are familiar with Fenerbahce as they were vying to sign former Fener star Nicolas Anelka two seasons ago.