Antalyaspor have not received any ‘official’ bids for Haji Wright amid claims that the USA international is a January target for Premier League duo Southampton and Crystal Palace, assistant coach Alfons Groenendijk tells Cumhuriyet.
The Turkish Super Lig’s top scorer’s chart reads like a ‘who’s who’ of former household names. Like one of those 90s nights at your local Pop World; a line-up featuring Peter Andre, the Cheeky Girls and two-fifth of Steps.
Haji Wright, however, is a rare example of a young, up-and-coming talent thriving alongside the Enner Valencias, the Fabio Borinis and the Bafetimbi Gomis of the world. With 10 in 16 games, 24-year-old Wright is not only one of the most prolific forwards in Turkey, he is also one of the most coveted.
Wright’s representative told the Lider Gazete recently that Crystal Palace ‘want’ the former Schalke youngster, adding that Antalyaspor are likely to hold out for around £9 million. Ajansspor, meanwhile, believe that Southampton have held initial talks with mid-table Antalyaspor; the lack of a reliable goal-threat costing Nathan Jones’ Saints side dear during Saturday’s frustrating 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
Crystal Palace and Southampton like Antalyaspor’s USA international Haji Wright
But while former Ajax youth coach and Dirk Kuyt-lookalike Groenendijk did not deny the interest, he did admit that Antalyaspor are yet to receive any serious bids for their 6ft 3ins talisman.
“(Wright has scored) 50 per cent of the goals we scored this season,” Groenendijk says. “He is a very important part of the team. If he leaves, we’ll have to buy a new striker.
“We hear a lot of rumours, but there is no official (offer) yet. Until then, Haji Wright is an Antalyaspor football player, and has to fight for us.”
In all competitions, Los Angeles-born Wright has 11 goals in 17 games at club level. He found the net at the Qatar World Cup too; a bizarre consolation effort in the round-of-16 defeat to the Netherlands which could almost qualify as an optical illusion.
“I always call Haji our dazzling beauty,” Schalke youth coach Norbert Elgert once told SBI of Wright. “He has a very high speed with and without ball. (Wright) can use both feet, has good dribbling (skills) and is very dangerous.
“He offers a lot of good for a really good striker. If he continues to work hard, strengthen his strengths and weaken his weaknesses, then he can become a really interesting player. He still has a lot of potential.”
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