By Can Erozden
ANKARA (AA) - Besiktas' veteran midfielder Atiba Hutchinson is still one of the integral parts of the team even though he is pushing 40.
A former PSV Eindhoven player, Hutchinson, who is largely called Atiba in Turkey, has been drawing attention with his industriousness, rigid playing style, professionalism and statistics as the 38-year-old scored 4 goals and produced 5 assists for Besiktas this season, one of his best seasons.
He played in 25 Turkish Super Lig matches in the 2020-21 season to chase his 25-year-old compatriot in Besiktas, Cyle Larin, who has had 26 league appearances.
Atiba -- the captain of the Turkish club -- joined Besiktas in 2013 and has a contract until June.
Canadian national Atiba is the first Besiktas player who came from North America.
Before his seven-and-half-year spell in Istanbul, Atiba had played for Dutch club PSV and Denmark's FC Copenhagen.
Atiba separately played for his native Canada in 2003-2019.
He netted seven goals in 84 international caps for the Canadian national team.
- 280 appearances for Besiktas
Atiba had 280 total appearances -- 229 in Super Lig -- for Besiktas since 2013.
With 280 appearances, the Canadian international has the all-time record appearance among Besiktas' foreigners in club history.
In 2019, he had this record, beating the Turkish club's former Portuguese winger Ricardo Quaresma, who played in 227 matches for Besiktas.
During his whole Besiktas career, Atiba tallied 23 goals and 28 assists.
He checked in 13 UEFA Champions League matches for Besiktas (in 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons).
Atiba netted one goal in 21 UEFA Europa League appearances for the Istanbul team.
In the 2019-20 season, he individually did his best for Besiktas as the Canadian defensive midfielder scored six goals and made six assists in 30 Super Lig appearances.
But his all-time best performance was in the 2007-08 season with FC Copenhagen, scoring eight goals in 31 Danish Superligaen (Super League) matches.
- Besiktas honor Atiba
Last June, Besiktas paid tribute to Atiba for his 200th Super Lig appearance, giving him a silver plate.
He reached the club's appearance milestone in a home match against Ittifak Holding Konyaspor that Besiktas won 3-0 at the Vodafone Park.
Then in August, Atiba extended his contract with Besiktas for another year.
He helped Besiktas win the Super Lig title twice in 2016 and 2017.