Haji Wright delivered a career-best year in Turkey last season and now is reportedly on the radar of the defending league champions.
Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor has targeted Wright for a transfer this summer, Fanatik reported Tuesday. Trabzonspor won the Super Lig last season and will be in the UEFA Champions League group stage later this fall.
Wright, 24, scored 14 goals and added two assists in 31 league appearances for Antalyaspor last season while on loan from Danish club Sonderjyske. Wright has made 37 appearances at Sonderjyske, scoring 13 goals, but isn’t expected to be a part of the club’s long-term plans in the Danish second tier.
His contract at Sonderjyske runs until June 2024, but Wright has also been linked with a permanent move to Antalyaspor as well EFL Championship side Hull City.
The U.S. men’s national team forward enjoyed a first senior call-up under Gregg Berhalter earlier this month due to his stellar season in Turkey. Wright scored on his international debut in a 3-0 friendly win over Morocco on June 1.
Be interesting to see what Wright does since there’s a case to be made for any of those three choices. He knows he’ll play and he obviously did well under the current coach at Antalyaspor. But there’s probably more money on the table at Trabzonspor – the top teams in Turkey, as in most Euro leagues, use the teams under them as organ donors – and Hull City is, well, England, though he might do well to remember Jozy Altidore’s experience there, too. Be a tough choice if I was in his shoes.
Then there’s the USMNT angle to consider. Obviously Jesus Ferreira has made the plane. I personally think there’s two slots left – assuming FIFA does expand to 26 – and those two will be between whichever of a variety of guys not currently in favor – which definitely includes Wright, if Gregg’s statements after El Salvador are any indication – start finding the net. Pepi’s probably got the closest thing to an inside track but we’re likely watching Sargent, Wright, Dike, and MAYBE Pefok or Hoppe for those last two seats and form will without a doubt be the determining factor. So those making moves – Wright, Hoppe, and Pefok – had better choose their destinations wisely, and acclimate in a hurry.
I suspect Gregg’s done taking auditions at this point. Those September friendlies are going to be all about firming up the established group and both will likely feature first-team lineups, and anybody called into September is going to be a guy Gregg and the group already knows.
So basically: two spots on the plane to Qatar, likely five possible contenders, of which Wright is one. Choose well, Haji.
Don’t be surprised to see Vasquez in that mix. Probably the best target striker in the USMNT pool right now. Greg has name dropped him. I personally think Greg should have called up Vasquez in this past window.