There might be interest in signing Yilmaz... and there might not | OneFootball

Barış Alper Yilmaz holds off Mark McKenzie of USA at the World Cup last month

(Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Early August and the tantalisingly irritating rattle of the transfer window continues unabated: Who's next? — is the anguished cry of weary yet unsatiated observers.

When reason goes out the window, desperation fills the commentary sections, and every wide player in the Süper Lig is suddenly "on the verge of a sensational Premier League move."

The latest name to be fed into the endless Turkish media rumour generator —and promptly recycled across Everton social media channels and clickbait sites eager for more — is Galatasaray’s Barış Alper Yılmaz.

Naturally, the speculation reached fever pitch over the weekend when resident insider Alan Myers posted one of his trademark, bulletproof non-updates on X (formerly Twitter):

Ah, classic Alan. Master of the unfalsifiable transfer claim. It is a masterclass in hedging your bets: there might be interest, or there might just be an agent dropping Everton's name into a Turkish radio interview to squeeze an extra €10k a week out of Galatasaray. If Yilmaz signs, Alan called it; if he stays in Istanbul or joins Monaco, well, Alan did warn us he wasn't sure "how big the interest was."

The Reality Check

Let’s strip away the YouTube compilation music and look at the actual mechanics of this setup:

The Verdict

Could Everton have made a polite inquiry to Yilmaz’s representatives? Sure. Is there "some truth" that his name is on a long list of 50 wide targets somewhere in David Moyes’s famous wallchart? Almost certainly.

But until you see the lad holding up a blue jersey, treat this with the heavy dose of cynicism it deserves. Alan’s tweet isn't confirmation of an impending bid — it’s just a reminder that when it comes to Everton's transfer strategy, "interest" is cheap, but actual signings are painfully hard to come by.

Save your enthusiasm for when the ink is dry.

For those curious to see what all the fuss is about before the inevitable breakdown in negotiations, check out Barış Alper Yılmaz – Explosive Winger. This compilation highlights his direct running style and pace, which could explain why his agent is using Premier League links to inflate his market value.

Reader Comments (18)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()

James Newcombe 2 Posted 02/08/2026 at 09:10:34

He even looks bad on YouTube, I guess we’ll just have to trust the judgement of our brilliant scouting team on this one…

Bob Parrington 3 Posted 02/08/2026 at 09:15:01

We need a striker and rid ourselves of Barry and maybe Beto. Both seem to have 3 legs and don't know which way to go. FFS let's find a striker worth his weight and a RB too.

John Pickles 4 Posted 02/08/2026 at 09:59:40

If you want a genuine Rolex, you don't go shopping in Turkey!

True in life, true in football.

Christy Ring 5 Posted 02/08/2026 at 13:53:21

Our last Turk was Tosun, didn't big Dunc even say in his book, he told the club not to buy him.

I see where Bournemouth have bought the Seville right-back Sanchez for €9.5M, he's 22 and four senior caps for Spain. How many fullbacks have we looked at? Great to have a good scouting team.

Dale Self 7 Posted 02/08/2026 at 14:32:20

Juanlu Sanchez was likely a good miss, Christy.

I saw two of his matches. In both, he attempted to con the ref with the most pathetic, 'Oh, that player slapped my face so hard I collapsed' crap, twice. In one, there was slight contact on shoulder, the other with no contact at all.

And he did nothing else on the pitch to make one forget about his penchant for drama.

I was impressed with accounts if his play but the real thing was a disappointment.

Regarding this one, let's just listen to old Erkin Koray and Baris Manco records and let that be our Turkish experience.

Paul Kossoff 8 Posted 02/08/2026 at 15:46:47

Bournemouth are finalising an £11.1M move for Sevilla right-back Juanlu as new manager Marco Rose's squad nears completion.

The 22-year-old will cost an initial £9.4M, with a further £1.7M in add-ons, and is expected to move to the south coast on a long-term contract.

Juanlu is a tall, attacking full-back with significant experience despite his young age and has been heavily capped at Spanish youth level.

Mr Moyes and crack recruitment team: right-backs are available, just fucking look!!!

Paul Kossoff 9 Posted 02/08/2026 at 15:55:52

Bournemouth are finalising a deal for Portugal defender Antonio Silva.

Silva says he is excited to join Bournemouth after signing for the Cherries in a deal worth up to £25.7M. The 22-year-old joins from Benfica where he has been a regular since breaking into the first team in 2022 and has featured in the Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup.

Mr Moyes and crack recruitment team, right-backs are available, just fucking look!!!🥺

Paul Kossoff 10 Posted 02/08/2026 at 16:08:54

I know Antonio Silva isn't a full back, but I'm just trying to say, how ridiculous our situation of recruitment is with our "crack" recruitment team.

Everyone and their grannies are having no problem finding players and reaching behind the couch to pay for them.

I'm worried for this season. Top ten finish? I just hope we stay above 17th.

Christy Ring 11 Posted 02/08/2026 at 17:02:35

Thanks Dale #7 I trust your judgement 👍

Dale Self 13 Posted 02/08/2026 at 19:19:24

Christy, we will see if there is a player there at Bournemouth. To me, he just didn't look the Everton type at all. If he struggled or lagged a bit, the crowd would be all over him and it would be a dramafest.

Marco Rose is an outstanding manager. So I suspect Sanchez will have the support and structure to make good use of his strengths. Here, I wouldn't be sure it would work out.

Robert Williams 14 Posted 02/08/2026 at 19:35:06

Give it to the lad, he knows how to chuck himself to the ground. But I thought we already have one of those lined up - some fellow by the name of Grealish.

Surely we don't need two, otherwise there will be 30 minutes of extra time each half!!

Phil Malone Jnr 15 Posted 02/08/2026 at 20:38:17

Watching Galatasaray v Rennes, Yilmaz is on the bench.

We've apparently got people there watching, they've just made about 6 subs in the 73rd minute and not brought him on, lol!

Brendan McLaughlin 16 Posted 02/08/2026 at 20:43:52

Phil #15

Maybe they don't want to risk him getting injured ahead of the impending transfer?

Paul Kossoff 18 Posted 02/08/2026 at 00:11:09

Atletico Madrid are considering a move for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, with Everton and Aston Villa also exploring a bid for the 30-year-old Englishman.

Paul Griffiths 20 Posted 03/08/2026 at 02:46:29

Atletico Madrid are considering a move for Manchester City

Thank Sheedy. May it be true.

Steve Brown 21 Posted 03/08/2026 at 06:12:52

£11.1M for Juanlu from Sevilla and we are considering a £15M bid for Johnston from Celtic.

At this point, embarrassed laughter is the best way to look at it.