Arsenal transfer news: Besiktas rule out selling €20m former Gunners youth star
Besiktas have ruled out transfer listing Oguzhan Ozyakup this summer and underlined that a new contract deal will be offered a source close to the club revealed to Turkish-Football.
Ozyakup will have just 12 months remaining on his contract at the end of the season and has yet to sign a new deal.
The Black Eagles will offer a new contract at the end of the season but if Ozyakup refuses to sign the club could be forced into considering a transfer.
Besiktas value Ozyakup as being worth €20 million and turned down several offers from across Europe for his services last season.
Turkish-Football recently quoted Arsenal scout Jurgen Kost confirming interest in Ozyakup and stating that an offer could be on the cards.
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.”
Ozyakup played a key role in Besiktas winning the league title last season and remains a first-team star.
The 24-year-old has been in great form for Besiktas since joining from Arsenal in 2012.
The Turkish international has directly contributed to 62 goals, netting 25 times and providing 37 assists since joining the Istanbul giants.
Besiktas are currently first in the Turkish league and favourites to defend the title with rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahce languishing behind in third and fourth place, respectively.
In other Arsenal transfer news head coach Arsene Wenger dropped a hint that he will spend this summer.
“I think there is a very, very strong basis but the team needs to be strengthened, of course,” Wenger was quoted as saying by the Express.
