Former Wolves and Wales forward joins Turkish club alongside £27m Everton signing and Cardiff City midfielder
Josh Esen has sealed his next move after leaving Wolves. (Pic by Nik Mesney/FAW)
Former Wolves forward Josh Esen has found a new club in Turkey after leaving Molineux by mutual consent earlier this year, with the former Wales youth international now beginning to make his mark in the first team.
The attacker, who previously played for Llanelli Town joined Turkish second-tier side Fatih Karagümrük at the start of September after departing Wolves in February.
Esen has had to wait for his opportunity to feature regularly, but he has made three appearances this month, including his first start for the club against Ankara Keciörengücü on October 19.
He has joined a squad that includes several familiar names to English football fans, including former Everton striker Cenk Tosun, ex-Cardiff City midfielder Manolis Siopis and former Leeds United goalkeeper Marco Silvestri.
Josh Esen makes first-team breakthrough after leaving Wolves
Esen’s move to Turkey represents the latest chapter in a career that has taken him from grassroots football in south Wales to the academy system at one of the Premier League’s established clubs.
He joined Wolves from Llanelli in September 2021, having previously been released by Swansea City at the age of 13. He subsequently progressed through the ranks at Dafen Welfare and Llanelli before earning his move to the Midlands.
The forward made two league appearances for Llanelli’s first team, scoring and providing an assist in one match, before making the switch to Wolves.
At under-18 Premier League level, Esen registered seven goals and nine assists in 36 appearances for Wolves. He also gained experience away from the club during a loan spell with Redditch United.
He left Wolves by mutual consent in February, before securing his move to Karagümrük in September. His first-team opportunities have now begun to arrive, with substitute appearances against Muglaspor and Mardin 1969 preceding his first start against Ankara Keciörengücü.
Former Wales international joins squad featuring £27m Everton signing
Karagümrük’s squad boasts experience from across European football, with Esen now playing alongside Tosun, who previously featured in the Premier League with Everton and Crystal Palace.
Tosun joined Everton from Besiktas in January 2018 in a deal reported to be worth £27 million. The Turkey international scored 11 goals in 61 appearances for the Toffees before later spending time on loan at Crystal Palace, where he scored once in five matches.
The 35-year-old has also represented Turkey at international level and brings considerable experience to a Karagümrük side competing in the Turkish second tier.
Esen’s new team also includes Silvestri, who spent three seasons at Leeds United between 2014 and 2017. The Italian goalkeeper made 98 appearances for the Yorkshire club, keeping 23 clean sheets during his time at Elland Road.
The presence of players with experience in English football gives Karagümrük a number of familiar faces for supporters following the progress of former Premier League and EFL players abroad.
Cardiff City midfielder Manolis Siopis also at Turkish club
Another recognisable name in the Karagümrük squad is Siopis, who spent a season and a half with Cardiff City after joining the Bluebirds in 2023 under then-manager Erol Bulut.
The Greece international made 64 appearances for Cardiff before moving to Panathinaikos. He subsequently left the Greek club on a free transfer at the end of July.
Siopis, now 32, has earned 42 caps for Greece and built a reputation as a hard-working midfielder during his time in South Wales.
His move to Karagümrük adds further Championship connections to the Turkish club, with the former Cardiff player joining a squad that also features Tosun and Silvestri.
For Esen, the opportunity to share a dressing room with players who have competed in England’s top divisions provides another step in his development as he looks to establish himself at senior level.
Josh Esen previously represented Wales at under-18 level
Before his move to Turkey, Esen also represented Wales at youth international level, earning a single appearance for the under-18 side in March 2022.
He featured in the same Wales team as Cardiff City midfielder Joel Colwill and James Crole, who is now with Newport County.
The international appearance came during his time in the Wolves academy, where his performances in the under-18 Premier League included seven goals and nine assists across 36 matches.
Having progressed through the Welsh grassroots game before moving into the professional academy system, Esen is now looking to take the next step in his career in Turkey.
