Arsenal are reportedly looking to take the Manchester United way in the upcoming transfer window as they aim to bring back their once academy product in Oguzhan Özyakup from Turkish side Besiktas. The central midfielder has earned some rave reviews in Super Lig since moving from the North London club back in 2012.
Midfield has been one of the most volatile areas for Arsenal this season. The Gunners had started the season with one of the best core of midfielders, which had immense competition for the first team. It was so populated that Arsenal had to loan out one of their most talented products, Jack Wilshere, to Bournemouth in the summer to make way for the rest.
However, as has always been the case with the club, injuries crept in within no time and the manager was soon left with Granit Xhaka as the sole option there. With Mohamed Elneny absent owing to AFCON and repeated injuries to Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin, Wenger was even forced to play his all-purpose player, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, in the midfield.
This disruption has caused the Gunners big time this season with the club facing a realistic threat of missing out on the Champions League for the first time in 21 years. Now, however, most of the players are back from injuries with the club getting back on the track well. The 67-year-old will have to make sure the club doesn’t go through the same crisis next season and their move for Özyakup seems only logical.
With Arsenal, more likely to finish in the Europa League spot, the fixtures only increase for them and they will need tremendous squad depth to cope up with it. And the Turkish international looks apt to be an understudy of the likes of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka and more.
Özyakup has scored four goals and assisted five times this season and is one of Besiktas’ main men. He also has a decent experience in the Champions League as well as the Europa League with his current club.
Arsenal had brought the player from the U-17 side of Dutch side AZ Alkmaar back in 2008 and has invested in him well till 2012 before he was sold to Besiktas. His current club is wary of the interest in their prized possession and has slapped a £17 million price-tag on him.
Of course, the amount isn’t very big for Arsenal if they have set their sights on the player, and it will be a matter of taking the final decision. And if reports from Turkey are to be believed, then Arsenal’s scout Jurgen Kost has spoken highly about the player and a move might be on the way.
