Erencan Yardımcı opens up on his transfer and career: "Europe was my childhood dream"

Erencan Yardımcı, currently on loan at German 2. Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern, has spoken candidly about his career and his ambitions. Reflecting on his journey from the Galatasaray academy to Europe, the 24-year-old striker discussed his move to Hoffenheim following his breakthrough at Pendikspor, his Champions League experience with Sturm Graz and his goals in Germany. The young forward also shared his ambitions with the Türkiye senior national team and the path he is taking to get there.

Question: After your performances at Pendikspor, Hoffenheim paid a transfer fee of around 4 million euros for you. How did you feel when you found out you had an offer from the Bundesliga? Were there other offers too?

Erencan Yardımcı: "An offer from a Bundesliga club, especially interest from a club like Hoffenheim that has been in the Bundesliga for so many years, was not something you could easily turn down. With my family, my friends and my team, we had always talked about how well the Bundesliga suited my style of play and how much I liked the football there. It worked out just as we had hoped. There were other offers at the time, but together with my team and my family we decided that Hoffenheim was the right choice. They came to me with a very clear plan; they explained what they had in mind for me and the path they wanted to follow. That was really impressive. To be honest, it is not something you come across very often in transfer processes in Türkiye."

Question: After Pendikspor, your name was also linked with Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. Did you receive offers from other countries as well? Why did you choose Europe?

Erencan Yardımcı: "I had a very productive spell at Pendikspor, particularly in the first half of the season. At the end of the season there were offers both from Türkiye and from abroad. But playing in Europe was something I had dreamed of since I was a child. I wanted to be part of European football, to live there and to prove myself. That is why I chose Europe. There were options in Türkiye as well, but I am extremely happy that I made this choice."

Question: You played minutes in the Bundesliga in a Hoffenheim shirt. Having seen that level, do you feel today that you are good enough to play there regularly?

Erencan Yardımcı: "I have played at many different levels: in the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the Süper Lig. The Bundesliga is a league with its own dynamics, one that is both hugely enjoyable and extremely demanding. I want to establish myself there and be successful. To do that, I get support from my personal dietitian, my individual performance analyst and professional teams. I always see myself at that level, and with that in mind I keep working and improving every day."