Local expectations for Korea Oh Hyun-kyu, the first Korean player in the 123-year history, "Besikta will be centered on attacks."

*This content was translated by AI.

Expectations are growing in Turkiye toward Oh Hyun-kyu (25), a national soccer team striker who left Genk for Besikta, Turkiye. He is the first Korean player in the club's 123-year history, the transfer fee is the highest ever in the club's history, and he is expected to be the center of the team's attack as he has already shown competitiveness on the European stage.

Turkiye media Panatic said on the 5th (Korea time) that Oh Hyun-kyu's transfer to Besiktashi was confirmed, "Besiktashi's recruitment is a groundbreaking moment in that it is the first Korean player in the club's 123-year history," adding, "While rival clubs such as Fenerbahce have succeeded through recruiting Korean players, it is a new challenge for Besiktashi." It is expected to increase club brand and viewership in East Asia," he said.

The media continued, "Oh Hyun-kyu was tasked with filling the void of Tammy Abraham, who moved to Aston Villa in the English Premier League (EPL)," adding, "Coach Sergen Yalchin reportedly pointed to Oh Hyun-kyu as the main target to replace Abraham. "The burden of immediate performance is expected to be great, and how quickly you adapt to the atmosphere in Istanbul will be a key factor in determining the success or failure of your debut season," he added.

In particular, the transfer fee invested to recruit Oh Hyun-kyu and the number 9 allocation are given great meaning, symbolizing the main striker.

Panatic said, "Oh Hyun-kyu was assigned a symbolic number 9, reflecting the expectation that he will be the center of the team's attack," adding, "The 14 million euros (about 24.2 billion won) transfer fee investment is the highest in the club's history and sixth in the history of Korean players." It shows that the expectations for Oh Hyun-kyu are that high," he explained.

Fortunately, tactically, Oh is expected to melt quickly into Besikta. The media said, "Oh Hyun-kyu can play in the 4-2-3-1 formation favored by Yalchin. The ability to keep the ball and connect with creative midfielders was also a key reason for recruiting him, he said. "Unlike traditional Fourcher roles, defensive contribution and strong pressure from the front are also strengths. This is a characteristic that fits the style introduced by director Yalchin," he said.

Oh Hyun-kyu left Genk for Besiktas on the same day and signed a three-and-a-half-year contract until June 2029. At a time when his position became unstable after the replacement of Genk, he received a love call from Besiktashi's club to take on a new challenge. Another media outlet, Sport X, predicted that Oh Hyun-kyu will play as a one-top striker in a 4-2-3-1 format. As there is no clear one-top competitor in the team and the club has invested a considerable amount of transfer fees, the opportunity to play is expected to return steadily.

In the process, if Oh Hyun-kyu shows competitiveness while operating the scoring as soon as possible, he can quickly become a key resource for the team as much as the local high expectations. Locally, Oh Hyun-kyu is expected to make his debut as early as 2 a.m. on the 9th through the 21st round of the Schiffer League against Alania Spor. In some cases, he may face Hwang Ui-jo.

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*This content was translated by AI.