| Salih Özcan | |
| Height: | [1] |
| Birth Date: | 1998 1, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Cologne, Germany |
| Position: | Defensive midfielder |
| Currentclub: | VfL Wolfsburg (on loan from Borussia Dortmund) |
| Clubnumber: | 8 |
| Youthyears1: | –2007 |
| Youthclubs1: | SC West Köln |
| Youthyears2: | 2007–2016 |
| Youthclubs2: | 1. FC Köln |
| Years1: | 2016–2019 |
| Clubs1: | 1. FC Köln II |
| Caps1: | 22 |
| Goals1: | 4 |
| Years2: | 2016–2022 |
| Clubs2: | 1. FC Köln |
| Caps2: | 110 |
| Goals2: | 3 |
| Years3: | 2019–2020 |
| Clubs3: | → Holstein Kiel (loan) |
| Caps3: | 28 |
| Goals3: | 5 |
| Years4: | 2022– |
| Clubs4: | Borussia Dortmund |
| Caps4: | 49 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2024– |
| Clubs5: | → VfL Wolfsburg (loan) |
| Caps5: | 10 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2012–2013 |
| Nationalteam1: | Germany U15 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2013–2014 |
| Nationalteam2: | Germany U16 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 2 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2014–2015 |
| Nationalteam3: | Germany U17 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 16 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2016 |
| Nationalteam4: | Germany U18 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Nationalyears5: | 2016–2017 |
| Nationalteam5: | Germany U19 |
| Nationalcaps5: | 8 |
| Nationalgoals5: | 1 |
| Nationalyears6: | 2017 |
| Nationalteam6: | Germany U20 |
| Nationalcaps6: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals6: | 0 |
| Nationalyears7: | 2019–2021 |
| Nationalteam7: | Germany U21 |
| Nationalcaps7: | 15 |
| Nationalgoals7: | 1 |
| Nationalyears8: | 2022– |
| Nationalteam8: | Turkey |
| Nationalcaps8: | 22 |
| Nationalgoals8: | 0 |
| Pcupdate: | 30 November 2024 |
| Ntupdate: | 23:21, 6 July 2024 (UTC) |
Salih Özcan (born 11 January 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for club VfL Wolfsburg, on loan from Borussia Dortmund. Born in Germany, he plays for the Turkey national team.
Born in Germany, Özcan is of Turkish descent as he was born into a Turkish family. Özcan spent the majority of his youth career in 1. FC Köln's youth system. He first featured in 1. FC Köln's first team in September 2016 in a match against Schalke 04.[2] During the 2017–18 season he consistently started in central midfield. He scored his first league goal on 2 September 2018 in a match against FC St. Pauli.[3]
In 2017, Özcan was awarded the golden Fritz Walter Medal for the best U19 player in Germany.[4]
On 23 August 2019, Özcan joined Holstein Kiel on loan until the end of 2019–20 season.[5]
On 29 June 2021, in spite of speculations about a possible transfer, the club announced that Özcan had signed a new two-year contract with Köln.[6]
On 23 May 2022, it was reported that Özcan would join Borussia Dortmund for the 2022–23 season and that he would sign a contract with the club until 2026. The German sports magazine kicker estimated the transfer fee to be €5 million.[7]
On 28 August 2024, Özcan moved on loan to VfL Wolfsburg.[8]
Özcan was eligible for both the Turkish and German national teams,[9] and played for Germany's youth teams.[10] He played his last game for Germany U21 on 6 June 2021, starting in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final.[11]
On 25 March 2022, Özcan was called up to the Turkey national team by head coach Stefan Kuntz.[12] He debuted in a friendly 3–2 loss to Italy on 29 March 2022.[13]
| Season | League | National cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| 1. FC Köln II | 2015–16 | Regionalliga West | 16 | 3 | — | — | — | 16 | 3 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Regionalliga West | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 2017–18 | Regionalliga West | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 2019–20 | Regionalliga West | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 22 | 4 | — | — | — | 22 | 4 | ||||||
| 1. FC Köln | 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | 2. Bundesliga | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||
| 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 28 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 110 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 128 | 4 | |||
| Holstein Kiel (loan) | 2019–20 | 2. Bundesliga | 28 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 5 | |||
| Borussia Dortmund | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| Total | 49 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 | — | 70 | 0 | ||||
| Wolfsburg (loan) | 2024–25 | Bundesliga | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 219 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 260 | 13 | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 2022 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Total | 22 | 0 | ||
Borussia Dortmund
1. FC Köln
Germany U21
Individual