Mert Somay

Mert Somay — Biography

Mert Somay is a former Turkish footballer who made his name as a forward in the lower leagues, won a league title with Göztepe and moved into a backroom role after retiring. He played 500 official matches in his career and scored 97 goals. He currently works as an analyst on Arda Turan's staff at the Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk.

He started out in Beşiktaş's youth system in Istanbul, where he won several Turkish championships with the age-group sides and took part in tournaments abroad. In those years, with his strong physique and command of aerial balls, he was seen as a defensive midfielder. He played his first official match on January 30, 2005, for Bakırköyspor and also turned out for Gaziosmanpaşaspor. In the summer of 2007 he moved to Kartalspor, who had just been promoted to the TFF First League, for a fee that was high by lower-league standards, and he made nine First League appearances in 2007-08.

The turning point of his career was Göztepe: on loan there in 2008-09, he contributed greatly to the league title with his goals, and the following season the club bought his registration. Finding his true identity there, Somay developed into a forward whose scoring stood out and became a sought-after name at many second-tier clubs. In later years he also played for Diyarbakırspor, Esenler Erokspor and Belediye Derincespor. Over his career he went through one title, one final and three play-offs.