Merter Yüce

Merter Yüce — Biography

Merter Yüce is a defensive midfielder born in İzmir and standing 1.90 m tall. The longest and best-known stretch of his career came at Akhisar Belediyespor, whose promotion to the Süper Lig he helped bring about. He went back to Altay, where he started, announced his retirement in 2020 and in 2023 returned to the pitch with Altay again.

He began in the Altay academy at age 12, played for the club as an amateur from 1999 to 2003 and signed a professional contract in 2004; he also captained Altay. In 2009-10 he wore the Kayserispor shirt and was loaned to Kayseri Erciyesspor for the second half of that season. He agreed terms with Giresunspor in 2010 and, after half a season, moved to Kardemir Karabükspor on January 20, 2011. When his contract was terminated by mutual consent on December 19, 2011, he joined Akhisar Belediyespor of the Bank Asya First League.

At Akhisar he played in midfield and as a defensive midfielder and added to the side's defensive solidity; the team rose to the Süper Lig and he spent five seasons at the club. He kept up his level when he was on the bench, and in 2015-16 coach Cihat Arslan put him back in the starting eleven. In 2016 he moved to Bursaspor, and by May 2019 he was returning to Altay's starting eleven. He said goodbye to football in May 2020. He is counted among the players who began and ended their careers at Altay.