Scout report: Turkey's 26-year-old dynamo Salih Özcan has etched his name into Borussia Dortmund's midfield in the 2023-2024 Bundesliga season. A technically intelligent player with an aptitude for composure in possession, Özcan has an exemplifying ball-retention ability, ranking in the top 20% amongst his peers. His style of play has him positioned primarily in the central third, with his impressive pass accuracy helping dictate the tempo of the game. Yet, he demonstrates discernible weaknesses in his offensive portfolio, particularly regarding threat and chance creation - something Borussia Dortmund may wish to address.
Özcan displays a keen ability to recover the ball, backed by his solid performance in duels, especially in aerial engagements. He displays an above-average propensity for interceptions, indicating a commendable game-reading ability, vital for his defensive midfield role. Conversely, these defensive efforts are marred by a concerning rate of fouls committed and a considerable number of yellow cards received. This demonstrates an aggressive style of play that could risk putting his team at a disadvantage due to disciplinary issues.
While possessing less overt goal-scoring abilities, as shown by his less stellar goal threat and efficiency rankings, Özcan can still pack a punch in the final third. His low presence in the attacking penalty area suggests a more precautious style of play, however. Leveraging his strong traits, especially his ability to keep the ball and his positional awareness, Özcan could further influence the game, assuming he curbs his reckless challenges. As a team player, Özcan brings calmness and balance to Dortmund's midfield transition game with his pragmatic and efficient style of play.
Salih Özcan Key stats
Salih Özcan Career Trend
Salih Özcan Shot Maps
Salih Özcan Shot Summary
In the 2023-2024 season, Salih Özcan took 5 shots, scoring 0 goals. This output came from an Expected Goals (xG) of 0.17, averaging 0.03 xG per shot.
Right Foot: 0 goals from 4 shots. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.03 xG per shot.
Left Foot: 0 goals from 0 shots. A 0% conversion rate. 0 xG per shot.
Headers: 0 goals from 1 headed attempts. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.07 xG per shot.
