Ferdi Kadıoglu Biography

Ferdi Erenay Kadioglu, born on October 7, 1999, in Arnhem, Netherlands, is a Turkish national footballer who grew up in the Netherlands. He currently plays for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion as a left-back.

Full name: Ferdi Erenay Kadioglu
Date of birth: October 7, 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth: Arnhem, Netherlands
Height: 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1/2 in)
Position: Left-back
Current club: Brighton & Hove Albion
Number: 24

Youth career:

•   2006-2008: AZ 2000
•   2008-2009: Rijkerswoerd
•   2009-2016: NEC Nijmegen

Professional career:

•   2016-2018: NEC Nijmegen (61 matches, 11 goals)
•   2018-2024: Fenerbahçe (148 matches, 11 goals)
•   2024-present: Brighton & Hove Albion (1 match, 0 goals)

Total: 210 matches, 22 goals

National team career:

•   2015: Netherlands U-16 (2 matches, 1 goal)
•   2015-2016: Netherlands U-17 (13 matches, 2 goals)
•   2016: Netherlands U-18 (4 matches, 0 goals)
•   2017-2018: Netherlands U-19 (15 matches, 6 goals)
•   2018-2021: Netherlands U-21 (18 matches, 1 goal)
•   2022-present: Turkey (21 matches, 1 goal)

Total: 73 matches, 11 goals

Club Career

Fenerbahce

2018-19 Season

On July 14, 2018, Ferdi Kadioglu transferred from the Dutch club NEC Nijmegen to Fenerbahce for a transfer fee of €1.40M. After joining Fenerbahce, he started playing for Fenerbahce’s U21 team, appearing in a total of 10 matches. On December 20, 2018, in a Turkish Cup match against Giresunspor, he entered the game in the 77th minute, replacing Mehmet Ekici, marking his first official appearance for Fenerbahce’s senior team.

In the 2019-20 season, with Ersun Yanal becoming the head coach, Ferdi started to be included in the squad. On August 19, 2019, during the first week match against Gazisehir, he replaced Victor Moses, who was injured in the 77th minute, and in the 88th minute, Ferdi scored his first goal for Fenerbahce, making it 5-0 for his team. On August 24, 2019, in a match against Istanbul Basaksehir, he assisted Nebil Dirar’s goal in the 90+3rd minute, helping his team win 2-1.

2021-22 Season

On February 24, 2022, in a UEFA Conference League match against Slavia Praha, Ferdi suffered an injury after taking a hit to his leg and was substituted in the 28th minute. The injury was diagnosed as bleeding and a second-degree strain in his right rectus femoris muscle and tendon, sidelining him for an estimated 1.5 months. Under coach Vitor Pereira, Ferdi played as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 system, developing his defensive abilities. With his impressive performances, Ferdi received invitations from the national teams of the Netherlands, Canada, and Turkey, ultimately choosing Turkey. After Pereira’s departure, Ismail Kartal took over, and Ferdi played a key role as Fenerbahce rose in form, finishing second in the league. Ferdi played as both a right and left-back, completing the season with 28 matches, 2 goals, and 1 assist in the Super Lig, 7 matches, 1 goal, and 3 assists in European competitions, and 1 match in the Turkish Cup, accumulating 38 appearances with 3 goals, 3 assists, and 6 yellow cards in total.

2022-23 Season

For the new season, Fenerbahce hired renowned Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus. Ferdi Kadioglu continued to play as a wing-back and was appointed one of the team captains. He was often the coach’s first choice. Ferdi scored his first goal of the season in the Super Lig with a long-range strike against Kayserispor. In the 2022-23 season, Ferdi won his first career trophy, the Turkish Cup, with Fenerbahce.

2023-24 Season

On July 5, 2023, Fenerbahce announced that Ismail Kartal would take over as head coach. Under Kartal’s 4-2-3-1 system, Ferdi became the first-choice left-back but also occasionally played as a right-back. He developed good chemistry on the left side of the field with new signing Dusan Tadic. Ferdi contributed significantly to Fenerbahce’s 99-point season. In total, he played 51 matches, scoring 1 goal and providing 4 assists in the Super Lig, 1 goal and 1 assist in 5 Conference League qualifiers, 1 goal in 7 Conference League matches, and 2 appearances in the Turkish Cup. He received 3 yellow cards over the season.

2024-25 Season

After taking a break following EURO 2024, Ferdi rejoined the team for the new season, which began with Fenerbahce appointing world-renowned coach Jose Mourinho. In the first leg of the Champions League Qualifier against Lugano, Ferdi scored a spectacular goal from outside the box, securing a 4-3 away win for Fenerbahce. The matches against Lugano (second leg), Adana Demirspor (first week of the Super Lig), Lille (third qualifying round of the Champions League), and Goztepe (Super Lig second week) were among the games where Ferdi featured for Fenerbahce in the new season. As transfer rumors swirled, Brighton made a significant offer for Ferdi, and Fenerbahce granted him permission to negotiate.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Following EURO 2024, transfer speculations about Ferdi Kadioglu intensified, with clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Manchester United showing interest. In August 2024, Ferdi transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of €30,000,000 + €5,000,000 in bonuses, along with a 10% sell-on clause. This transfer set a new record for the most expensive sale in Turkish football history. Fenerbahce’s social media accounts shared emotional farewell posts, highlighting how Ferdi’s tears during his departure touched fans. Ferdi scored his first goal for Brighton on September 18, 2024, in a League Cup match against Wolverhampton.

International Career

National Team Choice

Ferdi Kadioglu holds passports for the Netherlands, Canada, and Turkey. He represented the Netherlands in youth national teams. On August 19, 2020, he was called up to the Netherlands U-21 team. Three days later, he received an invitation from Turkey. In response, the Dutch national team appointed Erwin van de Looi to meet with him before he made his decision, expressing that if Ferdi agreed, he could be called up to the Dutch senior team. On the same day, the Canadian national team also verbally invited him.

Netherlands

Ferdi Kadioglu played for the Netherlands in various youth age groups and was included in the squad for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Turkey

On January 3, 2022, Ferdi Kadioglu contacted Hamit Altintop to announce his decision to represent the Turkish national football team. This decision was officially confirmed by his club, Fenerbahce. He made his debut for the senior national team on June 4, 2022, in a UEFA Nations League C match against the Faroe Islands.

Achievements

•   Fenerbahce
•   Turkish Cup: 2022-23

Personal Life

Ferdi Kadıoglu was born in the Netherlands to a father from Trabzon, Arsin, and a Canadian-born Dutch mother.