Caner Erkin

Caner Erkin — Biography

Born in the Edremit district of Balıkesir, Caner Erkin is a Turkish former international footballer who played as a left-back. He began his career in the Manisaspor youth system, drew attention when the club won promotion to the Süper Lig in the 2005–06 season, and then moved to Russian side CSKA Moscow for a transfer fee. After a loan spell at Galatasaray, he signed with Fenerbahçe in 2010, winning the league title twice and the Turkish Cup twice there, including a goal in one cup final. In 2016 he joined Inter on a free transfer, made no competitive appearances, and finished that season on loan at Beşiktaş before signing for the Istanbul club permanently the year after. He later returned to Fenerbahçe, then played for Fatih Karagümrük, Başakşehir, Eyüpspor and finally Sakaryaspor, closing out a 22-year career across ten clubs in June 2026.

With Turkey's youth sides, Erkin won the 2005 European Under-17 Championship and shared the runner-up spot in the scoring charts at that year's under-17 world tournament, where the team finished fourth; he was called up to the senior national team at just seventeen. He is married to Şükran Ovalı and announced his retirement from the game in a public statement.