Arsenal set to bid £20m for former academy player who has won back to back league titles for Champions League group toppers
Back in 2012 a promising Arsenal youngster called Oguzhan Ozyakup decided to leave the Emirates and embark on an adventure in Turkey.
The Dutch born midfielder joined Besiktas for a £500,000 fee.
Ozyakup has gone onto win back-to-back league titles and become a Champions League regular for a Besiktas side currently top of Group G.
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The 25-year-old midfielder’s rise has not gone unnoticed by his former club.
Turkish sports newspaper Fanatik report that Arsenal are prepared to pay £20 million for Ozyakup in January.
Per the source, the Gunners have been scouting the Turkish international star this season.
Besiktas are desperate to renew Ozyakup’s contract but are also open to selling their star man at the end of the season for the right price.
As things stand Arsenal could actually enter direct talks with the Besiktas ace in January as he has under 12 months left on his contract.
Ozyakup has made no secret of the fact he intends on returning to Arsenal in the future.
“I have plans to play in Europe,” Ozyakup said in an interview with beIN Sport Turkey.
“I was born in Holland and developed in England at the best academy in the world.
“I trained with the best and want to relive my time at Arsenal again.
“I want to be an ambassador for Turkish football in Europe like Arda Turan.”