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English Premier League club Newcastle United is monitoring Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir to strengthen its goalkeeping options after the team shipped seven goals in a round-of-16 exit to Catalan side Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, local media reported.
Cakir, 29, is said to have attracted the attention of English clubs after delivering a standout performance in another Champions League match against English side Liverpool at Anfield, making 11 saves—the highest by a goalkeeper in the knockout stages over the past 10 seasons—despite a 4-0 defeat that ended Galatasaray’s European campaign.
Newcastle United, meanwhile, lost 7-2 away to Barcelona, with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale allowing the most goals by any goalkeeper in a single UEFA Champions League match this season.
Cakir joined the Istanbul side at the start of the season from Black Sea club Trabzonspor for €27.5 million ($31.86 million), stepping in following the departure of legendary Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
His displays between the posts, particularly in European competition, have helped raise his profile beyond Türkiye.
In the Turkish league, Cakir featured in 19 matches, conceding 14 goals while keeping seven clean sheets.
His impact has been more pronounced in the UEFA Champions League, where he started all 12 matches, conceding 19 goals while keeping four clean sheets.
With an average rating of 7.41, he was the third-highest-rated goalkeeper at the round of 16 stage and the only goalkeeper in the tournament to save two penalties this season.
According to state-run TRT Spor, Aston Villa is monitoring Cakir, while Türkiye daily reported that London powerhouse Tottenham is also interested.
The shot-stopper is expected to start for the Turkish men’s national team in World Cup qualifiers against Romania on Thursday, March 26.
His performances will be closely monitored by interested clubs at the international level, particularly if Türkiye qualifies for the 2026 World Cup, reports suggest.
Cakir has featured in 36 matches for the Turkish national team, conceding 57 goals while keeping 12 clean sheets, and holds a €15 million transfer value on Transfermarkt.
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