Erol Erdal Alkan

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Erol Erdal Alkan

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|2|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Amsterdam, Netherlands

| height = 1.93 m{{WorldFootball.net|erol-alkan}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = Esperanza Pelt

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1999–2004

| youthclubs1 = Amsterdam Gençler Birliği

| youthyears2 = 2004–2007

| youthclubs2 = Zeeburgia

| youthyears3 = 2007–2009

| youthclubs3 = Ajax

| youthyears4 = 2009–2012

| youthclubs4 = SC Heerenveen

| youthyears5 = 2012–2013

| youthclubs5 = İstanbul BB

| youthyears6 = 2013–2014

| youthclubs6 = Elazığspor

| years1 = 2014

| clubs1 = Elazığspor

| caps1 = 6

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2014

| clubs2 = Kocaeli Birlik Spor

| caps2 = 1

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2015–2016

| clubs3 = Hatayspor

| caps3 = 17

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2016–2018

| clubs4 = Dordrecht

| caps4 = 47

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2018–2020

| clubs5 = Beroe

| caps5 = 36

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2020–2021

| clubs6 = Türkgücü München

| caps6 = 4

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2021

| clubs7 = Etar

| caps7 = 1

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2021–2022

| clubs8 = Uşakspor

| caps8 = 5

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2022

| clubs9 = Finn Harps

| caps9 = 7

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2022–

| clubs10 = Esperanza Pelt

| caps10 =

| goals10 =

| nationalyears1 = 2016

| nationalteam1 = Turkey U21

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 6 August 2022

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Erol Erdal Alkan (born 16 February 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Belgian club FC Esperanza Pelt. Born in the Netherlands, he has represented Turkey at youth international level

Club career

Alkan made his Süper Lig debut on 26 January 2014.{{TFF player|1542227}}

On 7 July 2018, he signed with Bulgarian club Beroe.{{cite web|url=http://www.beroe.bg/2018/07/07/alkan-contract/|title=Алкан подписа с "Берое"|website=Beroe.bg|publisher=PFC Beroe Stara Zagora|access-date=8 July 2018|date=7 July 2018|language=Bulgarian|trans-title=Alkan signed with Beroe}} He established himself as a starter, but parted ways with the team by mutual consent in January 2020.{{cite web|url=https://topsport.bg/beroe/ofitsialno-beroe-se-razdeli-s-edin-ot-futbolistite-si.html|title=Официално: Берое се раздели с един от футболистите си|website=Topsport.bg|publisher=Web Media Group|access-date=10 April 2020|date=16 January 2020|language=Bulgarian|trans-title=Official: Beroe part with one of its players}}

After leaving Beroe, Alkan earned a trial at Wycombe Wanderers and appeared against Hungerford Town in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup,{{cite web|url=https://www.wwfc.com/news/2020/february/report-hungerford-0-3-wycombe/|title=Report: Hungerford 0–3 Wycombe|website=WycombeWanderers.co.uk|publisher=Wycombe Wanderers F.C.|access-date=14 July 2020|date=26 February 2020}} but was not offered a contract by the EFL League One club. On 1 July 2020, he signed with Türkgücü München, newly promoted to the German 3. Liga.{{cite web|url=https://turkgucu.de/de/News/77/Neuzugang.htm|title=Erol Alkan verstärkt Türkgücü München.|website=Turkgucu.de|publisher=Türkgücü München|access-date=14 July 2020|date=1 July 2020|language=German|trans-title=Erol Alkan strengthens Türkgücü Munich.}}

On 23 January 2022, it was announced that Alkan had signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Finn Harps.{{Cite web|url=https://finnharps.ie/erol-erdal-alkan-signs-for-2022/|title=Erol Erdal Alkan Signs for 2022 – Finn Harps FC}} After 7 appearances for the club, it was announced on 28 July 2022 that he was one of 4 players departing Finn Harps, with Alkan joining Belgian club FC Esperanza Pelt.{{Cite web|url=https://finnharps.ie/harps-confirm-four-departures/|title=Harps Confirm Four Departures – Finn Harps FC}}

International career

Alkan was born in the Netherlands to a Surinamese mother and Turkish father.{{cite web|url=https://skor.sozcu.com.tr/2016/10/10/turkiyenin-yeni-yildiz-adayi-erol-erdal-alkan-536095/|title=Türkiye'nin yeni yıldız adayı Erol Erdal Alkan|website=Skor.Sozcu.com.tr|publisher=Sözcü|access-date=10 November 2016|date=10 October 2016|language=Turkish|trans-title=Turkey's new star candidate Erdal Erol Alkan}} He chose to represent Turkey at the international level and made his debut with the Turkey U21s against his birth country, the Netherlands.