Arsenal are likely to miss out on their long-term target, Oguzhan Ozyakup. According to recent reports, the Turkish international is set to extend his stay at Besiktas. Ozyakup was with the Arsenal senior team for the 2011-12 season but didn’t feature in any Premier League game. He made his debut in a League cup encounter against Shrewsbury Town.
The Turkish midfielder’s current contract was coming to an end this season and it was expected that he will move somewhere else but after the recent development, it seems he will stay with the Turkish giants. Along with Arsenal, Newcastle United and Everton were also being linked with the Turkish star. Ozyakup is a central attacking midfielder and also happens to be the club captain of Besiktas. According to reports, the new contract will make him earn €12 million more and it is clear that Besiktas wants to keep their man.
As he was part of Arsenal before, the North London club were keeping tabs on him as he had spent four years at Arsenal’s youth academy. This recent contract extension could be a big blow for Arsenal and we look at three replacements which Arsenal can go for.
Shinji Kagawa
Kagawa has been touted with a move away from Dortmund and he could be back in the Premier League. Kagawa is an attacking midfielder who is adept at playing in various positions upfront. With Kagawa coming in Wenger will be reuniting the attacking trio of Dortmund as they already have Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang. These three combined well in the Bundesliga for Dortmund and were scoring goals aplenty for their team.
Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez has been linked with a move away from Leicester for quite a few transfer windows now and Arsenal was once touted to get him. It will be interesting to see whether Arsenal will go for him. Mahrez has proven himself consistently in the Premier League as he has been Leicester’s main man for last few seasons and he certainly will be a good addition to the Arsenal squad. The only trouble could be regarding the playing time as Mkhitaryan and Ozil will be expected to start ahead of him.
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Aleksandr Golovin
Golovin, the current CSKA Moscow midfield ace has been linked with an Arsenal move. He recently scored against Arsenal in the first leg of their Europa League encounter, with a brilliant free-kick. He is young and has the potential to play for a big club and Arsenal could be the right suitors for him.
