3 reasons £20m Arsenal target Oguzhan Ozyakup could be a success if he returns to the Emirates

Besiktas midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup is in the midst of yet another terrific season for the reigning Super Lig champions.

The former Arsenal youth has not gone unnoticed.

The Gunners are reported to be preparing a £20 million bid for the midfielder in January according to the Fanatik.

Ozyakup has under 12 months remaining on his contract but Besiktas are desperate to strike a new deal.

We take a look at three reasons Ozyakup would be a success back at North London.

See More: Where are they now? Arsenal’s neglected class of 92, highly rated Wilshere & Ozyakup pursuing career elsewhere

1. Leadership quality

Besiktas were left with a number of issues following the departure of Slaven Bilic. The most poignant of them being who would be able to fill in for the injured Tolgay Arslan and Veli Kavlak who were ruled out until the turn of the year. Head coach Şenol Güneş decided to put his trust in Ozyakup and the former Arsenal man has not disappointed. The 25-year-old has had to play as a central, defensive and attacking midfielder at times over the past two seasons but has taken to the challenge with open arms and established himself as the leader in this Besiktas side.

Ozyakup has improved defensively averaging 2.4 tackles and 1 interceptions per-game in all competitions and has strengthened physically. The creative midfielder played a major role in Besiktas winning the league title for the past two seasons. scoring 10 times and providing 8 assists. The Turkish international has directly contributed to 70 goals since leaving Arsenal – 27 goals and 43 assists.