Are Everton targeting Besiktas’ Ozughan Ozyakup as Ross Barkley’s replacement?

Follow us on Google Discover

Fear not Everton fans, Besiktas midfielder Ozughan Ozyakup is not your run-of-the-mill number ten.

Everton have had more than enough time to plan for the departure of Ross Barkley. With the homegrown star’s contract due to expire in 2018, it’s been pretty much expected that the England international would bring an end to his lifelong association with The Toffees sooner rather than later.

The Mirror reports that Chelsea will renew their interest in Barkley in January after coming so close to signing him on deadline day in August – and will face fresh competition from London rivals Tottenham too. At least if Barkley leaves in January, Everton will receive a transfer fee for the hugely talented 23-year-old, albeit one below his market value.

Though despite spending over £140 million in the summer, and bringing a fleet of ‘number tens’ to Goodison Park, Everton failed to find a player capable of providing the same dynamism and thrust from central midfield.

Davy Klaassen, Nikola Vlasic, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney are players who start in the final third while Barkley at his best powers through opposition midfields and turns defence into attack in an instant.

There are few players out there who can boast the same unique skill set. Though one of those appears to have registered on Everton’s radar.

Everton’s new Barkley?

Turkish publication Fotomac reports that Everton will hold talks with Bestiktas midfielder Ozughan Ozyakup ahead of a potential move to Goodison Park. The 2016/17 Super Lig Player of the Year, who Arsenal sold for £400,000 in 2012, is out of contract this summer – just like Barkley.

And The Sun reports that he could be available for as little as £10 million in January. Ozyakup, though a creative midfielder who has scored and set up 14 goals apiece in the last two seasons to inspire Besiktas to successive league titles, is not a playmaker a la Klaassen and Sigurdsson.

He is a player adept at starting attacks from deep, picking passes or driving forward with real menace. Ozyakup is very much a player in Barkley’s mould – could he replace Everton’s number eight at Goodison Park?