After BVB departure: Ex-Cologne Anthony Modeste for talks in Istanbul

Le Havre & Bordeaux out of the running?

“I discovered the Bundesliga for myself ten years ago, learned to love it and really liked it. So I’m still very open to that,” Anthony Modeste recently said of his future. It is still open after Borussia Dortmund left – but could be in Turkey. According to the consistent reports of the journalists Ertan Suzgun and Yagiz Sabuncuoglu the 35-year-old striker is currently in Istanbul for negotiations. He has offers from both Fatih Karagümrük and promoted Pendikspor.

Karagümrük has been part of the Süper Lig since 2020, has secured good placements and in recent years has also attracted attention with transfers: players like Jeremain Lens, Fabio Borini, Emre Mor and Medhi Benatia came and Volkan Demirel and Andrea Pirlo were hired as coaches. Pendikspor is a largely blank slate.

The club with the smallest stadium in the Süper Lig (Pendik Stadı, 2,500 seats) was in the third division for many years, but recently marched through to the top tier under Osman Özköylü. One looks in vain for big names in the squad – Modeste would be by far the best-known international player if he opted for Pendikspor. Defensive access Georgios Tzavellas (35) was once with Eintracht Frankfurt, playmaker Aias Aosman with Jahn Regensburg and Dynamo Dresden, among others.

“At the moment I don’t know how to proceed. But I can say that I’m still very motivated and focused and my goal is to keep playing football. I am disciplined and my healthy lifestyle allows my body to keep playing. I will start at a new club with heart and soul and highly motivated,” Modeste emphasized recently. He was linked with a return to France in June, with newly promoted AC Le Havre and Girondins Bordeaux said to have signaled interest at the time.

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