Arsenal receive transfer boost in pursuit of Barcelona star as Lions club president denies holding talks in Istanbul

Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan travelled to Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday where he was reported to have held talks with Galatasaray president Dursun Ozbek and football director Cenk Ergun according to Mundo Deportivo.

Per the source, the trio alongside Turan’s agent Ahmet Bulut held a meeting in Istanbul.

The report also claimed that Arsenal and Monaco are plotting a move for the Turkish international.

Ergun has however, denied holding negotiations with the Turkish international.

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“There was no meeting between Dursun Ozbek and Arda Turan, I was surprised to read about it in the newspapers, it is not just a lie it is a total and utter fabrication,” Ergun was quoted as saying by Turkish-Football.

The latest development will come as a boost to Arsenal who have been closely linked with the 30-year-old.

Turan’s agent Ahmet Bulut did recently confirm that he is in talks over a January transfer and that one of the interested clubs is from the Premier League.

“I have been in talks with four clubs, everything will be sorted in 15 days,” Bulut was quoted as saying by Turkish-Football.

“Turan will either be loaned out or sold, there are offers from the Premier League, Spain and Italy.” 

The Turkish international has yet to play a single minute of competitive football under the stewardship of Ernesto Valverde.