Arthur Masuaku is already facing an uncertain future at Besiktas just three months after moving to Turkey on a £2 million loan-to-buy deal from Premier League outfit West Ham United, according to FotoMac.
After a positive start to the season, for both player and club, Besiktas headed into the World Cup break on a run of just two wins in seven Super Lig matches.
And while few at the Vodafone Park have covered themselves with much glory in that time, Masuaku is at risk of becoming an unfortunate posterboy for Besiktas’ recent decline.
“He goes forward fast. He uses the ball very well,” explains former Trabzonspor ace-turned-pundit Hamdi Aslan, via Besiktas News.
“Suddenly, there was an abnormal decline. There was a very rapid fall. The player who is most affected by (Besiktas’ struggles) is Masuaku.”
Will West Ham loanee Arthur Masuaku be replaced by a Rangers benchwarmer?
There is a very real chance, then, that West Ham will soon find themselves welcoming Masuaku back at the London Stadium. According to FotoMac, Besiktas coach Senol Gunes is ‘not satisfied’ with the France-born DR Congo international. He has reportedly nowasked for a replacement during the January transfer window.
Besiktas could potentially turn to a familiar face too. Sporting director Ceyhun Kazanci is reportedly hoping to strike a deal that would see Ridvan Yilmaz return to Istanbul on a temporary basis from Rangers.
The 21-year-old left-back only moved to Glasgow in a £5 million deal last summer. He has just 83 minutes of Scottish Premiership football under his belt so far. Then again, the sudden sacking of Giovanni van Bronckhorst could potentially act as something of a turning point in his Gers career.
Rangers sack Van Bronckhorst
“We are continuing developing all our players,” Van Bronckhorst told The Herald in October. “Every player is different. For a player who is playing a lot, it is more about going over the game and looking at what things they can improve in the game.
“For Ridvan it is different. It is more about making sure he understands the tactics and knows where to be in certain moments. For him, that’s important.
“He didn’t speak good English when he came. He is improving that so he is able to communicate now with his team mates. That is something you have to take into account as well before we let him play.”
Besiktas, meanwhile, have the option to sign Masuaku permanently for around £2 million in the New Year. Unless something changes rather drastically, that clause in the 29-year-old’s contract feels destined to go un-triggered.
Masuaku’s current deal at the London Stadium runs until the summer of 2024.
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