Salih Uçan

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Fenerbahçe signed Uçan for €1.4 million on 6 June 2012, for a five-year contract worth €220,000 per season. This transfer fee marked the highest fee paid to a Turkish youth player. On 14 March 2013, he scored his debut goal for the club in an UEFA Europa League match against Viktoria Plzeň in the round of 16. His contribution helped Fenerbahçe secure qualification to the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a 1–1 draw in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. He scored two goals against Orduspor on 7 April 2013 and helped Fenerbahçe win four games in a row in the Süper Lig. On 7 July 2014, Uçan moved to Roma on a two-year loan deal for a fee of €4.75 million. The agreement included an option for Roma to either extend the loan by another year or to sign Uçan outright for €11 million in 2016. He made his official Roma debut in the 3–0 victory against Chievo on 18 October 2014. After two years with just 10 appearances, Roma chose to not make use of the option of a permanent signing. In July 2016 Uçan returned to Fenerbahçe at the end of his two-year loan spell at Roma but 1 year later he loaned out again to Swiss club Sion. On 31 August 2017, he was loaned out for a second time joining Swiss Super League FC Sion. In his one-year loan spell he played 19 league matches and 1 match in the Swiss Cup. In July 2018 Uçan returned to Fenerbahçe for second time at the end of his one-year loan spell at Sion however he played friendly matches on his second return. On 17 August 2018, Uçan joined Italian Serie A club Empoli on loan until 30 June 2019. Uçan scored on his debut for the club, the final goal in a 3–3 draw with Frosinone on 21 October 2018. On 31 January 2019, the last day of the 2018–19 winter transfer window, it was announced that the move had been made permanent. On 10 July 2019, Uçan signed to Turkish club Alanyaspor. After his contract expired with Alanyaspor in June 2021, Uçan joined current Turkish champions Beşiktaş on a free transfer. On 4 July 2021, Beşiktaş announced the arrival of Uçan. On 28 June 2024, Uçan has signed a new 2+1 year contract with Beşiktaş. On 28 January 2022, he joined İstanbul Başakşehir on loan, until the end of the season. Uçan played all the age categories for the Turkey national team. He was also a part of Turkey national under-20 football team during the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. On 15 November 2013, he played his first national mat

In Their Own Story

On 14 March 2013, the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium was tense as Fenerbahçe faced Viktoria Plzeň in the UEFA Europa League round of 16. Salih Uçan, still a teenager, scored his debut goal for the club, pulling the score to 1–1. That single strike proved decisive: the draw was enough to send Fenerbahçe through to the quarter-finals. Just weeks later, on 7 April 2013, Uçan scored twice against Orduspor in the Süper Lig, helping Fenerbahçe extend a four-match winning streak. Those early flashes of brilliance — a Europa League debut goal and a brace in the league — defined his promise at the club before the series of loans began.

Reader's Guide

Salih Uçan is a midfielder who last played for Beşiktaş. His career includes stints at Fenerbahçe, Roma (loan), Sion (loan), Empoli (loan then permanent), Alanyaspor, Beşiktaş, and a loan to İstanbul Başakşehir. He scored his first Fenerbahçe goal in a Europa League match that helped the team qualify for the quarter-finals.

Did You Know?

• His transfer fee of €1.4 million from Fenerbahçe was the highest ever paid for a Turkish youth player at the time.
• He scored on his debut for Empoli in a 3–3 draw with Frosinone.
• He played for Turkey at all youth levels and in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.