The 20-year-old, in Roma’s squad to face Atlético Madrid, opens up on meeting Francesco Totti, overcoming language difficulties and how he hopes to be an ambassador for Turkish footballers abroad

“I had no idea what he was saying but it did not matter.”

Cengiz Under had arrived for this first training session with Roma, without a translator, and there, waiting for him, was none other that Francesco Totti. “I still can’t quite believe it,” the 20-year-old Turkish international says, looking back at that day in August when the rest of the Roma first-team squad were in the United States on the club’s summer tour.

Under has experienced a lot in a short time since joining the Serie A club but there are moments when even the €15m signing from Basaksehir becomes star‑struck. And this was one of them. “He is a legend, an inspiration,” adds Under. “Having Totti welcome me to Roma on my first day here is difficult to even describe.

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“I can’t even tell you how excited I was. I felt like a fan meeting an idol, he has that effect. I even asked if we could take a photograph together, which I uploaded straight on to Instagram. Totti is something else, he represents something more than football. On and off the field he is a legend. He is a name synonymous with Roma. It is impossible not to feel a connection to the club when you walk into your first training session and get welcomed by Totti.

“Later that day Murat Ozguven [his translator] came over and told me Totti would like a one-to-one chat once I have settled in and learned Italian. I told him I want to live up to the standard he set at Roma and be loved by the fans as he is. Totti then told me: ‘I have faith in you, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.’”

Cengiz Under is one of the best young prospects in Europe and he is not afraid to go his own way. Most young Turkish players would opt to sign for one of the big Super Lig clubs but when Under was ready to leave Basaksehir and Roma phoned he did not hesitate.

It was last summer and Under had just experienced a season beyond his wildest dreams. He played a pivotal role in the Basaksehir side that so nearly pulled off an upset of Leicester City proportions, narrowly missing out on winning the league, and earned a place in the Turkey squad. Under is no stranger to change. He moved from the small town of Sindirgi in northwestern Turkey to Izmir aged 10 and then to Istanbul nine years later, thriving in both cities.

When he arrived in Rome, however, there was one big obstacle in his way – the language. “Moving abroad was a real culture shock,” he says. “There is a lot more involved than I ever imagined. I moved abroad on my own and left my family behind, not knowing anyone or being able to communicate with anyone. I couldn’t talk with anyone. I can’t tell you how frustrating that was. I didn’t think about these things beforehand.”

There are countless tales of talented youngsters getting a big move abroad, but only a few succeed. Under realises the challenge that lies ahead. Under, speaking at Roma’s training ground, Trigoria, pauses and says: “It was really tough. I really felt alone for the first time, really alone. It was the first time I experienced real loneliness.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Cengiz Under, left, and the Roma sporting director Monchi at the Turkish international’s unveiling in August. Photograph: Activa Foto/Action Plus via Getty Images

Fortunately Roma go to great lengths to help their new players settle in. Under has a translator who also helps him off the field. His importance is huge. Furthermore Under has made a better start at the club than anyone could have expected. He has been included in most match squads and played three games from the start. On Tuesday, he was named in the squad that travels to Atlético Madrid in the hope of securing a place in the last 16 of the Champions League. “I came from a place where youngsters are not given these chances in life,” Under says. The centre of player development in Turkey has shifted over the past decade to the small Izmir club Altinordu. Their president, Mehmet Seyyit Ozkan, has played a key role with his ambitious project of creating a fully home grown squad.

Under speaks fondly about his time at the Red Devils. “I have the Altinordu president to thank. When he was in charge of Bucaspor and now at Altinordu, he was one of the few club presidents that focused on discovering talent. They sent scouts to Sindirgi, found me, saw potential and gave me a shot. Not many players move to the big city at that ages but they showed faith in me.”

Seven years later, Under opted for Basaksehir, who snapped him up for a now barely believable sum of £500,000. The rationale was clear. He turned down the major Istanbul clubs for an ambitious side with a manager who promised playing time. “Abdullah Avci put his faith in me and gave me a shot. A lot of other coaches would not have taken that chance … especially in Turkey: just look at how many young players get given a full season.”

Under had no shortage of offers after his breakthrough campaign at Basaksehir. Manchester City were among several Premier League and Super Lig sides in the mix but when his agent called with the Roma offer, his mind was made up. Why? “I was convinced after we heard Monchi’s plan. Monchi [Roma’s director of football] explained they were making big changes. He made it clear that he wanted me as a player for the first-team squad, not as a future prospect. He valued me as a footballer in my own right now, as a rising star with potential.

“He knows what to say and how to explain things. He explained the project in detail, that they are a club not afraid to play young players and that the manager has the courage to give youngsters a shot. That clinched it for me.”

Under has also struck up a good working relationship with the manager, Eusebio Di Francesco. “The manager played a major role in convincing me to join Roma,” Under says. “I have always had an interest in the tactical side of the game. I love that side of the game. It was a real learning curve getting to grips with the manager’s tactics but he was a great help. He took extra time to go through what he expects from me in great detail. He went out of his way to make me feel welcomed.”

Di Francesco also told Under that, contrary to expectation, not all Serie A clubs play catenaccio-based football. “He is a really intelligent coach and he makes sure he drills his tactics into the players. He makes big calls and is willing to take risks. They say Italian football is defensive but he likes attacking football. But he also does demand discipline. The level of planning that goes into preparing for games is like nothing else I have experienced.”

Then Under sits back, pauses and grins. “There is another side to Francesco,” he says. “I have made him sound like he is very methodological and serious but actually he is a very bubbly character. He loves to tell jokes. I don’t get most of them. But the team sure does and there is a good mood in the camp when he is around. He is always giving entertaining speeches at team meals. I don’t get everything he is saying but I can see he really gets into it the way he waves his arms around.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Cengiz Under celebrates scoring for Basaksehir in the Turkish Cup semi-final in April 2017. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Under has a long way to go but he is hard-working and has big aims for the future. “Some players will complain about training but I’m the opposite. I love it. If there is shooting practice I like to continue practising after the session has finished. I have come a long way in a short time. I like to prove people wrong and exceed expectations. I’ve been doing it since the age of 10.”

Despite his rapid elevation to the Roma side, Under has managed to stay remarkably grounded, a far cry from the lazy stereotype often associated with young players hailed as a wonderkid. He feels he has a wider responsibility to improve the reputation of Turkish football abroad: “It is an honour to be called a wonderkid. I keep receiving messages on social media from people telling me how proud they are of me so I feel in a way I am acting as an ambassador for them and my country abroad.”