Arsenal & Tottenham receive transfer blow in chase for £12m midfield target

Turkey's midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup celebrates after scoring a goal against Netherlands during the Euro 2016 qualifying football match between Turkey and Netherlands at the Arena Stadium in Konya, on September 6, 2015 in Konya. AFP PHOTO / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Arsenal & Tottenham receive transfer blow after Turkish league giants reveal they will fight to keep £12m midfielder

Besiktas will fight to keep hold of star midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup over the summer, club president Fikret Orman revealed.

Orman was quoted by Turkish-Football as saying: “We want Ozyakup to stay, there is a lot of talk of him leaving but we want him here and will offer him a new 4-5 year deal.”

Ozyakup will have just 12 months remaining on his contract at the end of the season but Besiktas will offer him a new deal.

The Daily Star recently reported that Tottenham have joined the race to sign the 24-year-old midfielder.

Per the source, the midfielder would be available for £12 million.

Turkish-Football quoted Arsenal scout Jurgen Kost also confirming interest in the Besiktas ace.

Kost was quoted as saying: “Ozyakup is a player of the highest standard, we have been closely tracking his progress and when we do our next search for players in his position he could return to Arsenal.”

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Ozyakup is a former Arsenal player and did rise through the ranks at the North London based outfit before joining Besiktas in 2012.

The Turkish international moved to Turkey in pursuit of first team football and has gone onto become an iconic player in the Besiktas midfield.

Ozyakup played an instrumental role in Besiktas winning the league title last season and his side are favourites to defend the championship.

The central midfielder has four goals and five assists in all competitions this season.