NEC Nijmegen sell Turkish winger Basar Onal to Lille for club record fee

The Nijmegen club, who reached the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds for the first time in club history by finishing third in the Eredivisie last season, reportedly received a fixed fee of €12.5 million for Onal. Through bonuses, NEC could earn up to €14.5 million for Onal.

The Turkish left winger scored 7 goals and assisted a further 7 in the Eredivisie last season, helping NEC to their best-ever league finish. Onal, a Turkey U21 international, played 77 games for NEC since joining from De Graafschap in 2024, scoring 10 goals and assisting 9.

Onal has signed a four-year contract with Lille, where he's become the seventh Turkish player in the club's history and the second in the current squad, alongside goalkeeper Berke Ozer.

"I'm really happy to be joining LOSC. It's a big step for me and my family," Onal said on the club website.

"The club's mentality appealed to me, and I think I'll thrive here. It's a great club, with great fans, a fantastic atmosphere, and superb facilities. I want to follow in the footsteps of Burak Yilmaz and Yusuf Yazici, great Turkish players who have succeeded here. I can't wait to meet my teammates and get to work."