▲ A veteran Turkish commentator also lauded Oh Hyun-kyu (top photo) for his abilities. Kaya Çilingiroğlu (bottom photo), a sports commentator for Turkey’s 'TRT Spor,' recently fired back at a small group of critics. ⓒ 'Agacli Yol' SNS
[SPOTV News — Park Dae-hyun] A veteran Turkish pundit has stepped up to defend Beşiktaş striker Oh Hyun-kyu, praising the 25-year-old’s impact since joining the club.
Kaya Çilingiroğlu, 62, a pundit for Turkey’s TRT Spor, pushed back against a minority of voices that have been critical of Oh’s profile and performance.
Some critics argue Oh isn’t the type of goalscorer Beşiktaş supposedly needed. Çilingiroğlu dismissed that line of thinking and posed a blunt counter: since Oh arrived, how often has he actually been played in on real chances? Has he received 10 quality passes? “It doesn’t look that way,” he said. “If you give him 10 clear chances, he’s the kind of striker who will finish at least half of them.”
Oh is set to face Alanyaspor in Beşiktaş’s 2025–26 Turkish Cup home tie on the 24th (Korean time) at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul.
He had a quiet outing in the Süper Lig Round 30 loss to Samsunspor on the 19th, a 1-2 defeat in which he struggled to influence the game.
The forward remained on the field until the 43rd minute of the second half but managed just two shots — none on target — and completed 72 percent of his passes.
WhoScored gave Oh a 5.9 rating, the lowest of all players on the pitch that night.
By contrast, the April 11 match showcased a different side of him. Oh scored twice in a 4-2 win over Antalyaspor, continuing a purple patch in front of goal.
He played the full 90 minutes and recorded his first multi-goal game for Beşiktaş.
Oh’s brace included the match-winner, a high-impact performance that secured the club’s victory and marked his sixth league goal of the season.
Oh joined Beşiktaş from KRC Genk (Belgium) in February and adapted quickly to life in Turkey.
Since arriving, he’s produced seven goals and two assists in 11 appearances for Beşiktaş.
Across the entire season, including his time at Genk, Oh has 17 goals.
Turkish daily 24saat Gazetesi reported on the 22nd that Oh is likely to carry his strong form into the cup and is viewed as one of the most dangerous attacking options in the Alanyaspor match.
In an interview with 24saat ahead of the cup tie, Oh said he’s ready to contribute to the team’s goals, expressing solid confidence after the previous setback.
▲ Oh left KRC Genk (Belgium) in February and quickly settled into the Beşiktaş squad. Since arriving in Turkey he has seven goals and two assists in 11 matches. Counting his time at Genk, he has 17 goals for the season. Ahead of the Alanyaspor cup tie, Oh said he’s ready to contribute to the team’s scoring. ⓒ Turkey 'ajansspor'
Beşiktaş officials appear pleased with Oh’s contributions.
The outlet reported the club has set Oh’s market value at about €40 million (≈69.2 billion KRW, about $42.8 million; 69.2 billion KRW ≈ $51.9 million), a figure well above the €14 million (≈24.2 billion KRW, about $15.0 million; 24.2 billion KRW ≈ $18.15 million) the club paid to sign him in February. If realized, that valuation would rank among the more significant transfers in Turkish football history.
Club insiders believe Oh’s value could rise further if he performs at the 2026 World Cup. For now, the plan is to keep him as a core player next season while closely monitoring interest from Europe’s top teams rather than move him this summer.
Adding weight to the praise, veteran pundit and Beşiktaş board member Çilingiroğlu has been vocal in his support.
Born in 1964, the analyst described Oh as a combative center forward who consistently battles opposing center backs. Çilingiroğlu argued that Beşiktaş’s struggles to increase attacking numbers inside the opponent’s penalty area stem from a shortage of effective wingers, not from a lack of finishing ability from the No. 9. Despite thin support from teammates on the flanks, he said, Oh has delivered eye-catching stats and adapted quickly — earning high praise within the club.
