Yusuf Demir - Austria's hottest football talent
Yusuf Demir: A profile of one of Austria, and Europe’s, hottest young footballers
Yusuf Demir is one of Europe’s hottest properties. A full Austrian international at 17, he has attracted the interest of just about every top club you could mention.
Where was Yusuf Demir born?
The son of Turkish migrants from Trabzon, Demir was born in Vienna on 2nd June 2003. He joined Rapid Wien’s youth system at age 10 and signed his first professional contract at 14.
What position does Yusuf Demir play?
A versatile forward, at club level Demir can cover every attacking position in Dietmar Kühbauer’s 4-2-3-1 formation. He often finds himself drifting in from the right on his preferred left foot, opening the space for a killer pass or a shot on goal. His 1 appearance for Austria saw him take up a position on the right but his ability to find space all over makes defining his exact position a difficult task.
What are Yusuf Demir’s attributes?
A livewire who plays with his head up, Demir has the ability to threaten the goal and find incisive passes for his teammates. His technical ability coupled with his electric pace make him a difficult assignment for any defence. What sets him apart from his contemporaries is his decision making. For one so young, he instinctively knows when to look for the pass and when to have a pop at goal.
When did Yusuf Demir get his chance?
Demir has been earmarked by his club Rapid Wien as a potential star for quite some years. After 23 goals in 18 games at youth level, he began training with the first team as a 15-year-old. Further impressive showings for Austria at youth level convinced Kühbauer to hand Demir his debut at 16. His appearance from the bench against Admira on 14th December 2019 made him the club’s youngest ever debutant.
He finished the 2019/20 season with 6 appearances to his name and firmly cemented his place in the first-team.
What impact has Yusuf Demir had?
Interestingly, Demir’s 9 goals and 4 assists have come from just 5 starts. Rapid have taken the patient approach in nurturing his talent and 30 of his 35 appearances have come from the bench. His sizable impact in limited minutes is an indication of his talent level. At 17, he has already registered goals in the Austian Bundesliga, the Champions League and the Europa League.
Rapid currently sit 2nd in the Austian Bundesliga, 6 points behind perennial powerhouse RB Salzburg. Considering the gap in finances and facilities, Rapid will take heart from their showing this season and Demir is the jewel in the crown.
When did Yusuf Demir make his international debut?
After scoring 19 goals in 25 games at various youth levels for Austria, Demir received his first call-up to the senior national team for March’s round of international fixtures.
He made his debut on 28th March 2021, coming on for the final 5 minutes of a 3-1 victory in a World Cup Qualifier against the Faroe Islands. At age 17 and with only 5 starts to his name, Austria clearly have high hopes for Demir.
His international career could have taken a different path. Before his debut with Austria, Demir’s father Hasan had this to say,
"They want my son to choose the Austrian A national team. We're happy to have that kind of interest. But we're from Trabzon. There's that side of it. Although Austria was so interested, no one from Turkey called us for the national team.”
This would help explain why the Austrian FA acted quickly to tie him down. Turkey’s hesitation looks to be Austria’s gain.
What is Yusuf Demir worth?
With his contract set to expire in the summer of 2022, Rapid may not receive the compensation they would otherwise expect for a prodigious talent nurtured through their academy. Valuations from reports vary, from as little as €10million up to €20million. What’s clear is Rapid will be getting the short end of the bargain however much he leaves for.
According to transfermarkt.com, Demir is valued at £7.2million. Not a bad sum for a player with 5 first-team starts to his name.
Which clubs have been linked with Yusuf Demir?
Which clubs haven’t been linked would be a more apt question. Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, need I go on? The queue for Demir’s signature will be a long one. With him set to leave for a reasonable fee, we could see quite a battle unfold.
Which player does Yusuf Demir compare to?
Comparisons with Messi are hyperbolic at best, but his game is very similar. Left-footed, a powerful strike and an uncanny ability to find teammates in advantageous positions, it’s easy to see the similarities. There have been many “Next Messis”, but Demir may well have the talent to live up to the billing.
Feel free to share this, it is super helpful, and check out our amazing football content here!
