Enzo Maresca has named the Leicester City ace who has ‘struggled’ to adapt to the demands of Championship football.
Leicester City are cruising towards promotion back to the Premier League and several stars have played a huge role in their success.
Whilst the acquisition of Mads Hermansen in goal has helped Enzo Maresca’s side keep the most clean sheets in the Championship, Leicester’s midfield and attack have truly dominated.
Harry Winks has arguably been the division’s most influential signing, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is showing why top-flight clubs were silly not to go for him and Stephy Mavididi has added flair and a touch of class to their attack.
In a star-studded Foxes side, orchestrated by the tactical brilliance of Maresca, there have been few faults to pick from, aside from how some of their summer acquisitions have turned out.
Conor Coady has been particularly disappointing since arriving for £7 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea loanee Cesare Casadei is another who must improve in 2024.
The Italian, however, isn’t the only player who has struggled in the Championship.
Enzo Maresca says Yunus Akgun has struggled to adapt to English football
Yunus Akgun was captured on loan from Galatasaray in the summer and expectations upon his arrival were high.
During his time at Adana Demirspor in 2021/22, the 23-year-old plundered a whopping nine goals and supplied 17 assists in Turkey, as per Transfermarkt.
As is normally the case with many young players joining from a foreign country, Akgun has found it difficult to adapt to his new surroundings.
The seven-cap Turkish sensation played 90 minutes for the first time at Leicester in the New Year’s Day win over Huddersfield Town, operating as a number 10 behind Tom Cannon.
This was just his fifth league start for the club and Maresca has admitted that he’s found it difficult to adjust to the speed and physicality of Championship football.
Speaking prior to handing him 90 minutes against Huddersfield, he said: “Yunus is struggling a little bit with the rhythm, probably because he said in Turkey the rhythm is a little bit low. Here it’s more quick, the pace of the game.
“He is struggling. He’s had a muscle problem, now it’s better. I like Yunus, I would like to give him more minutes, but he needs to adjust and understand how English football is, that it’s more physical.”
Although Yunus has looked lively and committed in his performances, he’s yet to have much involvement at the top end of the pitch and has suffered to compete for a place in the side.
With Dewsbury-Hall, Wilfred Ndidi, Dennis Praet, and Casadei vying for minutes centrally, a position where Maresca prefers him, the talented Turk has had his work well and truly cut out.
Nonetheless, after a promising show of his class against the Terriers, perhaps that performance can be the springboard for a prolonged run in the team.