Zeki Çelik, a defender by trade who mostly operates from the right-back position, currently pulls on his football boots for Roma donning the number 19 jersey. Born on the 17th of February in 1997, this Turkish native stands at 5ft 10in (1.8m) and tips the scales at 11st 6lb (73kg). Outside of his club commitments, Çelik has represented his native Turkey on the global footballing stage.
According to Transfermarkt, Çelik's current market valuation sits around £5 million.
Throughout his career, Çelik has made substantial strides with multiple transfers. Initially making his mark at Bursaspor in the Turkish 2. Lig, he made a domestic switch to Istanbulspor within the 1. Lig in August 2016, the fee of which remains confidential.
Following two years of development in Istanbulspor, Çelik journeyed to Lille in France's Ligue 1 in July 2018 for a modest £2.3 million. Over the course of four seasons, he embarked on an upward trajectory making over 100 first-team appearances and netting six goals in total. In his debut season of 2018 - 2019, Çelik bedded in with 34 appearances and a solo goal. Successive seasons saw him hit the pitch 23, 29, and 32 times, scoring three and two goals in the final two respective seasons.
A move away from Lille materialised in July 2022, with Çelik migrating to Serie A's Roma for a cool £6.3 million. His Italian tenure to date has showcased 72 appearances over three seasons, even sneaking in a goal during the present 2025 - 2026 campaign. His first season saw him make 24 appearances, followed by 17 and an impressive 31 in the next two, before making 13 appearances so far in the current season.
Internationally, Çelik has strutted his stuff in multiple competitions for Turkey, leaving his mark on World Cup Qualifiers Europe 2024 - 2026 with a goal across four appearances, three from the starting lineup and one as a substitute. His exploits continued in Euro 2024 with another three appearances and Euro Qualifiers 2022 - 2024 with another six. Furthermore, Çelik's continental experience extends to his club duties with Roma in the Europa League where he made 15 appearances across two seasons - 2023 - 2024 and 2025 - 2026. Additionally, he featured in the Nations League 2024 - 2025 for Turkey, making five appearances in total.
