Metehan Baltacı (born 3 November 2002) is a Turkish footballer who plays as a centre-back for Galatasaray.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 November 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Fatih, Turkey | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Galatasaray | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2021 | Galatasaray | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021– | Galatasaray | 10 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → İskenderunspor (loan) | 27 | (2) |
| 2023 | → Manisa (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Eyüpspor (loan) | 27 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019–2020 | Turkey U18 | 7 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | Turkey U21 | 12 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:49, 1 June 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22:49, 15 October 2024 (UTC) | |||
Professional career
editA youth product of Galatasaray, Baltacı began his senior career on a season-long loan with İskenderunspor in the TFF Third League on 7 August 2021.[1] He returned to Galatasaray the following season and on 19 October 2022, he made his senior debut with Galatasaray in a 7–0 Turkish Cup win over Kastamonuspor on 19 October 2022.[2] On 1 February 2022, he extended his contract with Galatasaray until 2026.[3] that same day, he joined Manisa on loan for the second half of the 2022–23 season in the TFF First League.[4] On 6 August 2023, he joined Eyüpspor on loan for the 2023–24 season in the TFF First League.[5]
On 13 November 2025, Baltacı was banned from playing for 9 months for his involvement in the 2025 Turkish football betting scandal.[6] He is being remanded in custody, meaning he is in prison.
International career
editBaltacı is a youth international for Turkey, having played up to the Turkey U21s since 2022.[7]
Betting investigation
editAs part of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, known to the public as the “Football Betting Investigations,” Metehan Baltacı was detained on 5 December 2025 after it was determined that he had placed bets on legal betting sites.[8][9] On 27 February 2026, an indictment was prepared against him, seeking a prison sentence ranging from 4 to 13 years.[10]Baltacı was released on March 25.[11]
Honours
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Son dakika | Galatasaray, Metehan Baltacı'yı İskenderunspor'a kiraladı - Galatasaray (GS) Haberleri - Spor". Fanatik. 7 August 2021.
- ↑ "ZİRAAT TÜRKİYE KUPASI | Galatasaray 7-0 Kastamonuspor (Maç Sonucu)". NTVSpor.net.
- ↑ "Galatasaray duyurdu! Sözleşmesi uzatıldı". Haber7.
- ↑ "Manisa FK, Galatasaray'dan Metehan Baltacı'yı kiraladı". Haber7.
- ↑ "Metehan Baltacı Eyüpspor'a kiralandı". CNN TÜRK.
- ↑ "Here is the penalty for 102 football players who placed bets! Two stars from Galatasaray are also on the list". Haberler. 13 November 2025. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
- ↑ "Galatasaray'ın genç savunmacıları sağlam". Al Ain Türkçe. 24 November 2022.
- ↑ "Bahis soruşturmasında yeni dalga: Ahmet Çakar, Mert Hakan Yandaş ve Metehan Baltacı gözaltına alındı - canlı oku". Medyascope (in Turkish). 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ↑ "Turkish football betting scandal: Galatasaray and Fenerbahce players arrested". BBC Sport. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ↑ "'Futbolda bahis' soruşturması... Metehan Baltacı, Mert Hakan Yandaş ve Ersen Dikmen hakkında istenen ceza belli oldu - Son Dakika Haberleri İnternet". www.hurriyet.com.tr. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ↑ "Metehan Baltacı tahliye oldu". www.hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). 26 March 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "Trendyol 1. Lig'de 2023-2024 Sezonu Şampiyonu Eyüpspor Oldu - TFF'den Mesajlar Detay Sayfası TFF". www.tff.org. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "CUMHURİYETİN YÜZÜ, TÜRKİYE'NİN EN BÜYÜĞÜ, ŞAMPİYON GALATASARAY!". Galatasaray S.K. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ↑ "TÜRKİYE'NİN İLK VE TEK BEŞ YILDIZLI ŞAMPİYONU GALATASARAY!" (in Turkish). Galatasaray S.K. 18 May 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ↑ "ÜST ÜSTE 4. SENE ŞAMPİYON GALATASARAY!". Galatasaray S.K. 9 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
External links
edit- Metehan Baltacı at Soccerway
- Metehan Baltacı at the Turkish Football Federation