Aston Villa scouts attended the Istanbul derby to keep tabs on Beşiktaş midfielder Oğuzhan Özyakup according to the Milliyet.

Beşiktaş won the derby 3-2 at the Atatürk Olympic stadium to move into first place on goal difference.

The report claims that Özyakup has been on the radar of Villa for over a year but that this was the first time scouts were sent to a game to watch the 23-year-old live.

The former Arsenal youth player started for the Black Eagles and has been in impressive form this season providing three assists and scoring once this season.

Özyakup has established himself as a first-team regular in the current Beşiktaş side and managed to break into the Turkish national team.

The Turkish international joined the Black Eagles from Arsenal in 2012 for €500,000 and still has another three-years left on his current contract.

Özyakup was actually born in Holland and captained the Dutch side to the final of the 2009 Under-17 European Championships before switching allegiances to the Turkish national team who whom he has 11 international caps.

See More
It’s tighter at the top in Turkey than you think
From the British Countryside to Fenerbahçe Fandom