The captain of the Uzbekistan national team, Eldor Shomurodov, truly opened up after leaving Roma before the current season and moving to Turkey's Istanbul Bashakshehir. He was previously known for his diligence and fighting spirit on the pitch, but in Istanbul he became not just a "working striker," but a goal-scoring machine.
Interestingly, despite spending the second half of last season at a much higher level under Claudio Ranieri, Eldor was eliminated by the Romans. Roma's management has brought in young forward Evan Ferguson from England to replace the Uzbek forward. But over time, this decision is being evaluated: in Rome, a choice was made, and in Istanbul, Shomurodov is giving his answer on the field.
Experts from forzaroma.info, a website that regularly covers Roma's life, specifically addressed this issue, suggesting that the Romans may have made a mistake. According to them, Roma has begun to regret this decision: head coach Jean-Pérot Gasperini would not have opposed Shomurodov's stay in the team at the most crucial moment of the season.
The most impressive figures don't hide anything: Shomurodov scores five times more goals than his replacement Evan Ferguson. At the Turkish championship, he surpassed famous Serie A stars like Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi. Today, Eldor, who scores 16 goals in the Super League, could have been a perfect partner with Daniell Malen, who came in the winter and is showing his scoring skills, if he had stayed at Roma.
For Ferguson, it is said that the season "extinguished" much earlier. Eldor, on the contrary, is actively competing in the Turkish championship's top scorer race and is only lagging behind Nigerian Paul Onuachu. At the same time, it is noted that Shomurodov is three goals ahead of Mauro Icardi and Talisca, and four goals ahead of Viktor Osimhen and Marco Asensio in the top scorers' match, which further emphasizes his consistency in the season.
The financial side is also interesting. When "Istanbul Bashakshehir" signed a loan agreement with the Romans, they agreed to buy Eldor Shomurodov's transfer rights for 2.8 million euros if the team maintains its position in the Super League. This is reportedly less than the €3 million that Roma paid for Evan Ferguson, who failed to prove himself and scored only three goals in Serie A.
The most important point: "Bashakshehir" is not fighting to stay in the league this season, but rather to qualify for European cups. Currently, the Istanbul team is in fifth place in the Turkish championship after the traditional strong clubs Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Trabzonspor, and Beşiktaş. It is openly acknowledged that Shomurodov's valuable goals play a decisive role in this outcome. Therefore, according to forzaroma.info, Istanbul Bashakshehir no longer wants to lose the Uzbek striker.
Statistics clearly show how Eldor is managing the season: this season, he played 35 matches in all competitions for "Istanbul Bashakshehir," scoring 17 goals and providing 5 assists. Thus, the 30-year-old footballer is having the most productive season of his career.
In addition, the Transfermarkt portal has revised Shomurodov's valuation: the transfer fee, which fell to 4 million euros at Roma, rose to 7 million euros in 2026. This means Eldor is regaining his "value" not only in the field but also in the market.
In short, this story is not a simple transfer: one club said "no," another expressed confidence - as a result, Shomurodov shone where he believed in himself. Now the question remains the same: Will Eldor maintain this pace until the end and reach the prestigious peak in the Turkish top scorers race? The end of the season will be very interesting.
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