Ridvan Yilmaz Rangers transfer scouting: The chalk on the boots full-back with supreme technical ability

Giovanni van Bronckhorst was tight-lipped on the prospect of securing a full-back following the Nigerian’s departure, offering a wry smile when quizzed on the topic following the midweek victory over West Ham in pre-season.

“Now we only have Borna Barisic [in the position], last season we also had Calvin who could play in that role,” the Dutchman said. “Borna’s performances have been really good. We will see what will happen in the coming weeks.”

Enter Ridvan Yilmaz, a 21-year-old Turkish international currently plying his trade for his boyhood club Besiktas.

Out of contract next summer, Yilmaz featured 33 times for the Turkish outfit last term, making two appearances in the Champions League group stages.

The 21-year-old joined the club at the age of eight, regularly playing two years above his age group before graduating to the senior set-up in 2018. He had to bide his time to make his first-team debut, however, replacing former Roma winger Adem Ljajic in a 7-2 trouncing of Rizespor in April 2019.

Yilmaz has gone from strength to strength at the club, nailing down a regular spot in the starting 11 despite turning 21 just two short months ago. The Turkey international predominantly featured at left-back in a four-man defence last season, but he was moulded into a wing-back following the appointment of former West Brom boss Valerien Ismael during the spring.

Creative profile

Firstly, it’s important to highlight that Yilmaz is not a prolific crosser. This can partly be ascribed to Besiktas’ style of play – the club ranked at league average for crosses per 90 minutes last season – but it is equally attributable to his game style. Yilmaz prefers to bide his time in possession of the ball, foregoing crosses from deeper areas in the mould of Barisic. Instead, he is proficient at threading slide-rule passes through defensive lines from wide positions.

In the example below, notice how he deliberately stalls his momentum in possession of the ball as his teammates ahead of him act accordingly.

The Turkish international then spots a run from a Besiktas attacker through the heart of the opponent's defence, timing his through pass to perfection.

Indeed, Yilmaz’s tendency to create on the ground as opposed to floated aerial crosses is highlighted by the fact he's ranked above the 90th percentile for both Smart Passes – defined as a penetrative pass that breaks the opposition’s defensive lines – and Through Passes per 90 minutes in the Turkish top-flight last season.

The full-back's capacity to weight his passes to a consistently high level allows Besiktas to cut through opponents quickly from deeper areas of the pitch.

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As he collects the ball in the instance below, the attacker ahead of him spins into the space in-behind the opponent's defensive line.

Yilmaz is quick to get the ball out of his feet, arcing a floated pass around the outside of the defender pressurising him.

The ball drops perfectly into the vicinity of the Besiktas attacker in the final third.

Again, the left-back picks up the ball in a similar position in another example from last season in the Turkish top-flight.

Quickly, Yilmaz pivots his body around the ball, launching a curved pass around the outside of the opponent’s defensive line.

The attacker latches onto the through ball and can quickly square up his marker inside the penalty area.

Given the importance in defending central areas against Rangers amid the myriad creative threats, Yilmaz is the perfect solution in helping the team progress the ball down the left flank.

When he does decide to deliver the ball into the danger area, meanwhile, he tends to cross either low and hard across the face of goal, or floated into space for a teammate to attack in the air.

As he picks up the ball in space on the left in an away outing at Fenerbahce last season, the obvious crossing option is the attacker peeling off to the far post (highlighted).

However, Yilmaz instead guides his delivery into the middle of the penalty area…

 …Where the ball is met flush on the head of a Besiktas attacker, who can use the momentum leveraged from his run to plant the ball beyond the goalkeeper.

His pair of assists for Turkey in their clash with an admittedly low-level Gibraltar side last year underline his penchant for crosses of the low and driven variety.

Technical capacity

In many respects, Yilmaz can be most likened as a full-back to RB Leipzig and former Manchester City full-back Angelino. The Spaniard – who scored and assisted against Rangers in the Europa League semi-finals last season – is equally as diminutive, yet both boast a technical capacity that make them difficult to dislodge in possession.

When asked about his footballing idols growing up in a previous interview, the Turkish international name-checked one of the most famous pint-sized left-backs: “Alphonso Davies that plays for Bayern Munich, even though he is the same age as me, I like him very much, he’s a very good left back. But I can say that my idol is Marcelo, I love Marcelo.”

With Yilmaz standing at 5 foot 7, the similarities are certainly evident.

His positioning during the build-up phase for Besiktas is another standout feature. Although the Istanbul club build possession in a flat back four, Yilmaz tends to occupy an extremely wide position on the touchline. In many ways, he is a chalk on the boots full-back.

This is underpinned by his supreme technical ability and body orientation. The touchline can often act as a barrier for most full-backs when they receive the ball – essentially an extra defender for the opposition – yet Yilmaz uses it to his advantage.

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Take the below images as an example. As the left central defender spreads a pass out to Yilmaz, his feet are positioned on the touchline.

As he receives the pass, he quickly pivots his body around the ball in one smooth motion.

Having changed to an open stance, Yilmaz effectively creates three passing options which are highlighted in yellow.

The fluidity of his movement provides a solid foundation in possession of the ball. Even further inside the pitch, Yilmaz is capable of winning his offensive duels with his ability to manipulate the ball.

With only one – risky – passing option ahead of him, he elects to check inside his marker.

He does this by moving the ball quickly between his feet, using his low centre of gravity to evade his opponent.

Opening up a pocket of space for the Turkish international to drive into.

On the opposite side of the ball, it’s difficult to escape Yilmaz’s diminutive size as a potential weakness. Besiktas have been blessed with aerially imposing central defenders to negate the risk of the player being targeted in the air, but is a luxury that Rangers may not be afforded should Ben Davies assume a place on the left-hand side of central defence.

Attacking the ball in the air, however, Yilmaz is able to leverage his smaller frame to gain elevation and regularly outjump those of a taller build.

Defending the ball in the air, meanwhile, could prove an entirely different matter. With this in mind, his future could lie at wing-back as opposed to a conventional full-back.

However, he certainly has the sufficient tactical capacity to operate at European level, rarely beaten by balls down the inside channel as a full-back in a four-man defensive unit.

A statement signing

Rangers will also be encouraged by his ability to prosper in an environment similar to the goldfish bowl of Scottish football. The youngster regularly plays in packed-out stadiums and infront of passionate supporters who live and die by the success – or otherwise – of their club.

Given his talent level and importance to the side, Besiktas are within their rights to hold out for a significant fee for Yilmaz. Rangers also have an extra chunk of change to play with following the lucrative sale of Calvin Bassey to Ajax.

He would instantly become first choice in the left-back slot at Ibrox, boasting an ability to play make from wide areas and penetrate the penalty box with a variety of crosses.

In the mould of diminutive full-backs with a devilishly level of technical capability, Yilmaz would provide a unique profile in the left-back position. It would be a considerable coup if Rangers were able to secure his services this summer.