Semih Şahin: Scouting Report by Adam Khan
This article is adapted from Adam Khan’s Medium Portfolio – a collection of professional scouting reports highlighting some of the most exciting talents in German football.If you are interested in sourcing his video-scouting expertise for your club, agency, or company, please reach him at business.adamkhan@gmail.com or on Twitter at @XxAdamKhanxX.
In today’s report, we analyze SV Elversberg’s defensive midfielder, Semih Şahin. We highlight his strengths, weaknesses, current ability, and potential…
Biography
Semih Şahin is a talented and convincing 23-year-old midfielder. The German-Turkish midfielder was a stand-out prospect in SV Elversberg’s back-to-back promotions.
He played a fundamental role in the club’s unlikely rise from the regional 4th tier to the 2nd Bundesliga.
Having prematurely extended his contract in March, it is clear that Şahin will be one of the key players to support SV Elversberg’s hopes of remaining in the second tier next season.
| Age: December 22, 1999 (23 yrs old) | Height: 1,77m |
| Current League: Bundesliga 2 | Current Club: SV Elversberg |
| Citizenship: Germany / Turkey | International: Uncapped |
| Contracted Until: June 30, 2025 | Estimated Market Value: €300th |
| Primary Position: Defensive Midfield | Secondary Position: Central Midfield |
Injury History
In late 2022, Şahin experienced ligament damage to his ankle. He missed just over a month of action through this injury. However, his record is otherwise clean, and there shouldn’t be any concern that injuries from his past will have a considerable impact on his ability to reach his full potential.
Player Style
Semih Şahin is a mix between a deep-lying playmaker and a modern holding midfielder. He can dictate the match tempo using his good vision and long-range passing, however, he is also equally capable of making surging runs in possession that exploit his pace, determination, and tireless stamina.
Player Model: Maximilian Arnold (circa 2016)
Strengths
Covers Dangerous Spaces Defensively
Şahin is an intelligent screening defensive presence. He routinely closes the most valuable passing channels to reduce an opponent’s ability to create goalscoring opportunities through the center of the pitch.
Exploits open space via Ball Carrying
Şahin has excellent timing and awareness for determining when he can drive possession forward with ball-carrying actions. He has solid speed and agility for a central player, and he maintains an upright stature while carrying possession forward. This enables him to constantly scan for passing options, and engage better-placed teammates in the final third.
Chooses his Moments Wisely to Commit Defensively
Against the ball, Şahin does not venture out of his central position unless he is assured that he will be able to win possession or reduce the speed of an opposition attack. When he commits to a defensive duel, he engages with full-hearted robustness. He is aware of the severe goal threat if he does not prevent the attack, and is willing to commit a tactical foul if necessary.
Consistent First Touch to Initiate Follow-up Actions
Şahin is very purposeful with his first touch. He rarely stops the ball dead, instead, taking possession in the direction he is interested in progressing play through. Furthermore, Şahin is routinely able to implement medium and long-range passes due to an effective first touch that allows him to quickly exploit open space outside of pressure.
⭐Impressive Long-range Passing
Şahin’s key strength is his long-range passing. He is excellent at assessing and executing on moments to switch play out of pressure. These long passes are often perfectly weighted and precise, allowing a teammate to immediately take the ball forward and exploit the space available.
Weaknesses
Struggles to Turn over Left Shoulder
Şahin is at his best when deployed as a left-sided defensive midfielder because he struggles to turn and change the direction of play over his left side. Şahin is far more effective when receiving on his right foot and turning over his strong side. He can do so quicker and displays far more ease and fluidity with these actions.
On the left-side, this is not an issue as this movement takes the game forward, but when drifting into the right side of midfield, Şahin’s tendency to favor turning over his right shoulder means he often takes the ball backward rather than accelerating the game into forward space.
Determined to Constantly Accelerate the Game in Possession
Şahin has a tendency to implement 1-touch passes, and generally accelerate the game, very often. Şahin must develop a better sense for when to play with speed and dynamism, and when to slow play down. This is a particularly important trait to develop given that he is often deployed as Elversberg’s deepest midfielder tasked with setting the tempo of play in possession.
⭐Tendency to Receive in a Closed Position
While Şahin often displays an excellent first touch, he has a tendency to receive in a closed body position that does not allow him to progress play up-field. Often in these situations, Şahin has no alternative other than to simply return the ball back to where he received it from, playing back into pressure and giving the opposition an ideal opportunity to force a turnover.
GRADING SCALE
Current Ability:
A club/level of club where the player has the qualities to play at least 70% of available minutes right now.
5/10 – A solid mid-table outfit in the 2nd Bundesliga, or a relegation-threatened side in the Eredivisie
- Kalsruher SC
- Greuther Fürth
- FC Volendam
Potential Ability:
A club/level of club where the player has the qualities to play at least 70% of available minutes at his career peak.
6/10 – A promotion favorite in the 2nd Bundesliga or a Relegation-threatened Bundesliga outfit
- Hamburger SV
- SV Darmstadt 98
- Schalke 04
OVERVIEW
Semin Şahin is an interesting prospect to watch out for in the 2023/24 2. Bundesliga. At 23, he still has considerable developmental potential, however, he is already a key performer for an SV Elversberg side that has smashed expectations over the past 2-years under manager Horst Steffen.
The Mannheim-born midfielder impresses through his immense passing range, mature defensive positioning, and strong technical base. Şahin can still improve on his tempo manipulation and body positioning when receiving, but generally, there is a strong case for Şahin to successfully master the step into the 2. Bundesliga, and potentially even continue to develop into a Bundesliga prospect and Turkish national team midfielder.
If you are interested in sourcing Adam Khan’s video-scouting expertise for your club, agency, or company, please reach him at business.adamkhan@gmail.com or on Twitter at @XxAdamKhanxX.