Salih Özcan (born 11 January 1998 in Cologne, Germany) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defensive midfielder. He began his professional career in Germany, having worn the jerseys of 1. FC Köln, Borussia Dortmund, and Beşiktaş. At the international level, he represented Germany at various youth levels before choosing to play for the Türkiye national team.

Salih Özcan was born on 11 January 1998 in Cologne, Germany. He began his football journey in the youth academy of SC West Köln. Following his development there, he transferred to the youth system of 1. FC Köln, one of the city’s largest clubs. His performances in the 1. FC Köln academy attracted attention and enabled him to progress all the way to the senior team.

Salih Özcan’s first significant steps in his professional career came while playing for 1. FC Köln. He began competing in the Bundesliga, Germany’s top-flight league, from the 2016–2017 season. In his early years at the club, he made 13 Bundesliga appearances while still aged 19. Over time, he became a regular fixture in the team, accumulating a total of 121 Bundesliga appearances for 1. FC Köln. His performances as a central defensive midfielder were instrumental in helping the club finish seventh in the league and qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League, a key achievement during that season.

Following successful seasons with 1. FC Köln, Salih Özcan transferred to Borussia Dortmund, one of the Bundesliga’s most historic clubs, for the 2022–2023 season. This move was facilitated by the activation of a €5 million release clause in his contract with 1. FC Köln, which was valid until 2023. Borussia Dortmund signed him to a contract running until 2026. During this transfer period, it was reported that Borussia Dortmund also added players such as Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Karim Adeyemi to their squad.

The primary reasons for Özcan’s decision to leave 1. FC Köln and join Borussia Dortmund were the club’s dynamic energy and its consistent participation in the UEFA Champions League. Borussia Dortmund’s management brought him in to strengthen the defensive midfield area following the departure of Axel Witsel, whose contract had expired. In his first season at Borussia Dortmund, Özcan made 40 appearances across all competitions and provided two assists. He also featured in the starting lineup for the match against his former club 1. FC Köln during the opening week of the Bundesliga season.

In the later stages of his career, media reports indicated that Galatasaray, a Süper Lig club from Türkiye, had made a transfer offer for Salih Özcan. However, his next destination turned out to be Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü.

After his transfer to Beşiktaş, he joined the club’s pre-season training camp in Bratislava, Slovakia. In statements following his arrival, he described Beşiktaş as “a very big family and a very big community” and expressed his happiness at the warm reception he received. He emphasized that Beşiktaş is a club deserving of championships and that he shared the ambition to achieve this goal. He also expressed his satisfaction at playing alongside his national team teammate Orkun Kökçü, noting that Orkun had provided him with detailed information about the club during the transfer process and played a role in his decision.

Salih Özcan’s first international experiences came with Germany’s youth national teams. He represented Germany at the U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, U-20, and U-21 levels, making a total of 38 appearances under the auspices of the German Football Association (DFB). His outstanding performances with the U-19 team earned him a prestigious award: he was presented with the Gold “Fritz-Walter Medal” during a ceremony held ahead of a match between Germany and Norway’s senior national teams. Özcan became the second 1. FC Köln player to receive this honor, following Timo Horn.

Despite playing for Germany’s youth teams, Özcan chose to represent Türkiye at the senior international level. He has made 11 appearances for the Türkiye national team. He came on as a substitute in Türkiye’s 2–1 away victory over Armenia during the Euro 2024 qualifiers and was praised for changing the tempo of the game. His performance in that match earned him a place in the starting lineup for Türkiye’s second group qualifier against Croatia at the Timsah Arena in Bursa.

Salih Özcan primarily operates as a number six, or central defensive midfielder, in tactical formations. At the time of his transfer to Borussia Dortmund, the club’s then-sporting director Sebastian Kehl described him as an extremely tenacious player in duels, dominant in aerial challenges, unwavering in his commitment to the team’s success, and willing to sacrifice himself for the team when necessary. Kehl also noted that Özcan’s high mental strength and physical power are complemented by his football intelligence.

In an interview during his time at Beşiktaş, Özcan described his own playing style, stating that his primary responsibility is to ensure defensive security and “clean up behind,” enabling his teammates to attack more freely and pursue goals. He also emphasized that he possesses an extremely ambitious character, ready to give everything to achieve his objectives.