Boro have tonight agreed terms with Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli and in the first of many reports on newcomers to the Premiership, I’ve had a closer look at what he could bring Boro and Fantasy Managers next season, including a peek at some rather lovely goals…
Tuncay will undergo a medical next week before completing the move but seems set to fill the boots of Viduka who departed for Big Sam’s Toon revolution last week. So what are Boro getting? A fine player judging by the evidence. Tuncay’s record is an impressive 77 goals in 207 matches for Fenerbahce so the lad clearly knows where the net is and as you’ll see from the footage below, he has some pretty impressive ways of finding it (note in particular the acrobatic strike against United). The 25-year old stands six-feet tall and is known for his flair and dribbling skills and certainly the technique demonstrated in the video is something that all Boro fans will be purring over. Tuncay captained Fenerbahce last season but is out of contract with the Turkish Champions. There’s little doubt that Boro and Teesside’s Tourist Board have pulled off a major coup in tempting the Turk away from Champions League football.
Although known as a striker, Tuncay’s strong running style means that he can be employed on either flank or in a deeper midfield role in front of the striker. With Viduka’s departure, he seems to be favourite to partner Yakubu in Boro’s attack next term although, with Boro still pursuing other striking options, having agreed a fee for Arsenal’s Aliadiere and with more than a passing interest in West Brom’s 21-goal striker, Diomansy Kamara, Tuncay could well operate in a wide or deeper role for Boro.
Boro fans are already salivating and looking to a top 6 finish but should that kind of optimism and expectation be mirrored by Fantasy Managers? Like any new arrival to the Premiership, he’s a gamble that’s for sure. You can view the quality of the player yourself in the footage below – undeniably the guy is a considerable talent. But can he impose himself on the Premiership? He certainly doesn’t lack experience – Tuncay has 12 goals in the Champions League, including a hatrick against United while he’s bagged 13 goals in 43 games for the national side. The big question will be whether he can hit it off with Yakubu, a striker who’s known to be unpredicatable in his runs and decision making. It may take time for any partnership to flourish which may well limit Tuncay’s output in his first season. The other issue is of course, where he’ll be played. Pre-season will tell us more but if there’s even a sniff that Tuncay could be classed as a midfielder in any Fantasy Game out there, then this guy has got to be on the shortlist. Even as an out and out striker, if it’s clear that rotation at Boro won’t be a factor, then Tuncay fits nicely into that box marked “worth a gamble” – the same box that Berbatov emerged from so maginificently last season.