As Oh Hyun-kyu (25, Besiktas) shook Turkey, the Premier League began to move. Local reports said Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are watching Besiktas forward Oh Hyun-kyu. In Turkey, evaluations even appeared comparing him to Victor Osimhen.
Turkiye's Turkiye Gazetesi reported on the 13th (KST), "Oh Hyun-kyu is currently a player attracting interest from big Premier League clubs," saying "Manchester United and Tottenham are closely monitoring his situation."
The outlet cited movement inside the box, aerial dominance and excellent finishing as Oh Hyun-kyu's strengths. It said the reason Besiktas invested 14 million euros (about 24.3 billion won) to sign him in last winter's transfer window is already being proven.
Oh Hyun-kyu exploded as soon as he put on the Besiktas jersey. In his debut he shook the net with an overhead kick and left a strong impression, then immediately scored in three consecutive league matches. He did not need an adaptation period. He quickly became the focal point of the team's attack.
The most recent match, against Antalyaspor, was the stage that most clearly demonstrated Oh Hyun-kyu's value. Besiktas beat Antalyaspor 4-2, and Oh Hyun-kyu scored a multi-goal. With that, he has recorded 7 goals and 2 assists in 10 games since joining Besiktas.
Turkiye's SporX and Turkiye Today evaluated Oh Hyun-kyu as "the player at the center of Besiktas' most complete performances." Local media summarized his strengths in three points: positioning to reach second balls, the ability to finish even with his weaker foot, and the finishing that ends with a single touch. Both goals in the Antalyaspor match contained all of these elements.
Above all, the comparison with Victor Osimhen attracted attention. Local columnists judged that Oh Hyun-kyu's front pressure and constant movement, his combative play that spares his body, and his relentlessness after scoring recalled a top European-level striker. It meant he is not simply a goal-scoring striker but the type who can influence the entire match.
Oh Hyun-kyu first challenged the European stage when he moved to Celtic in the 2022-23 season. In his first season he showed potential with 7 goals in 21 matches. After Brendan Rodgers became manager his playing time decreased, and he chose a new challenge. In Belgium he initially appeared more often as a substitute than as a starter. Even without much playing time he consistently scored and eventually secured a starting spot.
Last winter his situation wavered again. Under coach Nicky Hayen he gradually fell out of the team's plans. Even though his performance did not have major problems, he was often pushed aside by promising Aaron Biboout. That was when Besiktas reached out. Oh Hyun-kyu chose the team that wanted him strongly, and that choice has turned into a complete success.
In fact, the possibility of Oh Hyun-kyu moving to a big league has been raised before. Last summer a move to VfB Stuttgart was considered likely. It went up to the point of a contract, but it fell through when issues were raised during the medical tests. Last winter Fulham and Crystal Palace were mentioned as his next destinations.
This time is different. The scale of interest itself has changed. It's Manchester United and Tottenham. Both teams urgently need to strengthen their attacking options. Manchester United are struggling with a lack of finishing at the very front, and Tottenham are also looking for a reliable attacking option to take responsibility after Son Heung-min.
More interesting is that both clubs have deep ties to Korean football. Manchester United had Park Ji-sung, and Tottenham has Son Heung-min. That means there is a possibility for Oh Hyun-kyu to follow the paths of the two seniors who represent Korean football.
Reactions inside Besiktas are also hot. The card chosen to fill the void left after Tammy Abraham's departure was Oh Hyun-kyu. He exceeded expectations. Locals have even reacted, "we finally found a proper No. 9."
Attention toward Oh Hyun-kyu already extends to the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup. Widely regarded as the front-runner in the national team's starting striker competition, if he carries his current form into the World Cup a move to the Premier League will no longer be a dream. For Oh Hyun-kyu, a big-league move is not a matter of possibility. Now it's only a question of when he will go.
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