Mertcan Ayhan’s rise fuels Schalke’s promotion hopes after debut season

The roar of the crowd at the RheinEnergieStadion faded as a 20‑year‑old Turkish centre‑back slipped onto the pitch in the dying minutes of the opening matchday against Hertha BSC Berlin. Mertcan Ayhan, having spent eleven years in Schalke’s youth ranks, marked the moment with a late substitute appearance that symbolised a family tradition and a club’s faith in home‑grown talent.

Family legacy and early steps

In October 2013, Kaan Ayhan made his competitive debut for Schalke, launching a career that would span top‑flight leagues and the Champions League. Almost twelve years later, his younger brother Mertcan followed the same path, debuting for the same club on the first day of the 2025 season. Today, Mertcan proudly wears the colours of Galatasaray, while his brother continues to represent Schalke.

Breakthrough at Schalke

Having joined Schalke’s youth academy in 2014, Mertcan progressed through every age group before earning promotion to the first team last season. Coach Miron Muslic gave him his first start in the back three from the eighth matchday, and the right‑footed defender quickly became a key figure in the club’s promotion‑winning season. His partnership with fellow centre‑backs Hasan Kuruçay and Nikola Katic, combined with Schalke’s compact style, helped him integrate seamlessly.

The season culminated in promotion back to the Bundesliga, with Ayhan contributing solid defensive performances despite not featuring prominently in statistical leaderboards. German scout Florian Först, speaking exclusively, praised his timing, pace and composure, noting that he “defused various dangerous situations” and showed promise in possession.

Scout’s assessment and areas to improve

Först also highlighted shortcomings, stating that Ayhan’s heading success rate was “far too low” and that his one‑on‑one approach needed refinement without excessive aggression. Decision‑making when stepping out to challenge opponents and the spaces left behind were also flagged for development.

At the start of the new season, Schalke reshuffled the back three, moving Timo Becker to the centre and temporarily dropping Ayhan from the starting XI. He missed the last two league matches but remained a Turkish U21 international, set to feature in the European Championship qualifiers.

Looking ahead, Först believes that with optimal development Ayhan could reach a strong international level, potentially becoming a regular senior starter for the Turkish national side, the “Ay‑Yıldızlılar”. The Gelsenkirchen native has already shown flashes of high‑level ability, suggesting a promising future if his heading and duel techniques improve.