Beşiktaş has officially announced the loan transfer of defender Felix Uduokhai.
Beşiktaş, who are preparing for their UEFA Europa League play-off second leg match against Switzerland’s Lugano, are experiencing some heated developments in the transfer market. The black-and-white club has announced that they have added Augsburg’s defender Felix Uduokhai to their squad on a loan deal.
The statement from Beşiktaş reads as follows:
“We have reached an agreement with Augsburg for the temporary transfer of professional footballer Felix Uduokhai, with an option to buy, until the end of the 2024-25 season. We wish Uduokhai great success in our esteemed jersey and present this news to the public.”
WHO IS UDUOKHAI?
Felix Uduokhai, of Nigerian descent and a German citizen, was born on September 9, 1997, in Germany. He started his football journey at the age of 11 with Erzgebirge Aue and then joined the youth academy of 1860 Munich. At 19, he made his debut in the 2. Bundesliga with 1860 Munich in 2016. His performance quickly caught the attention of Bundesliga 1 team Wolfsburg, leading to a transfer in 2017 for €1 million. Uduokhai played in 9 of Wolfsburg’s first 10 Bundesliga matches in the 2017-18 season, continuing his rapid progress. However, in his second season at Wolfsburg, he was not considered by coach Bruno Labbadia and went on loan to Augsburg. A year later, Augsburg purchased him for €7 million. He was called up to the German national team during Joachim Löw’s tenure as head coach.
PLAYING STYLE COMPARED TO DAVID ALABA
Playing as a left-footed center-back at a high level has often led to Uduokhai being compared to world-class players, most notably David Alaba. There have even been claims of him being an “Alaba 2.0.” In his 8-year professional career, Uduokhai has played as a center-back, defensive midfielder, and left-back, but his primary position has always been center-back. His ability to build play from the back, excellent use of his left foot, and composure on the field are key reasons for his comparison to Alaba. In 2022, he was linked with clubs like Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Napoli, but a transfer did not materialize.
PLAYED 6 MATCHES FOR GERMANY UNDER-21
Felix Uduokhai’s greatest strengths include his 1.93-meter height and strong physique, which give him significant aerial dominance. This advantage is not limited to defense; he can also pose a threat in the opponent’s penalty area during set-piece situations. Being the player who won the most aerial duels at Augsburg further highlights this quality. During Stefan Kuntz’s tenure as coach, Uduokhai was called up to the Germany Under-21 national team and played in 6 matches
