Official | Cenk Özkaçar leaves Lyon for Valencia | OneFootball

After failing to make his mark at Lyon, defender Cenk Özkaçar has officially left the club. Arriving in August 2020 from Turkish side Altay SK, the centre-back only played a single game for the first team in France. The transfer was confirmed through a club statement this morning.

He was loaned to Belgian side Oud-Heverlee Leuven a year after his arrival, before spending the past season in Spain, where he fought against relegation with Valencia. He made 21 appearances for the club, often coming in late into the game. He did, however, play an integral part in the club’s turnaround, when they previously looked doomed to relegation.

Often lining up alongside ex-Lyon defender Mouctar Diakhaby, Özkaçar also played twice for Turkey this season, showing a slow progression for the 22-year-old defender. Recruited under Juninho’s tenure as sporting director, he will be viewed as yet another disappointing transfer from that time. He will be hoping to see the Spanish club climb back the table and enter a more stable era, with regular protests against ownership from Peter Lim disrupting home games at Mestalla.

GFFN | Tom Abadie