Premier League duo Everton and Crystal Palace are both reportedly interested in signing Fenerbahce’s Super Lig ace Ozan Tufan.
Everton and Crystal Palace will send scouts to watch the Istanbul derby this weekend with Fenerbahce’s £17 million ace Ozan Tufan in their sights, according to Turkish Football.
A talented midfielder who has recovered from a miserable start to life at the Super Lig giants to belatedly establish himself as one of the most influential footballers in Turkey, Tufan looks set for a move to one of Europe’s major leagues in the near future.
He has a £17 million release clause in his contract, as confirmed by his agent last week, and that is exactly a prohibitive sum for most Premier League clubs these days.
And, according to Turkish Football, both Crystal Palace and Everton have been given official accreditation to send scouts to Instanbul on Saturday when Fenerbahce are due to host bitter rivals Galatasaray at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.
A 45-cap international at the age of just 24, Tufan is an all-action, adaptable performer who has split his duties between right-back and his favoured central midfield role this season. The ex-Bursaspor ace has even produced four assists in the current Super Lig season, with his tough-tackling style and impressive passing range also catching the eye.
Crystal Palace are still in dire need for a right-back, after seeing a January deal for West Brom’s Nathan Ferguson collapse, and Tufan could fit the bill if Roy Hodgson can complete his transformation from a midfielder into a wide defender.
Everton’s interest, however, will raise questions over the future of Morgan Schneiderlin, whose contract expires in 2021.
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