West Ham United have long been linked with a move for Besiktas and Turkey star Gokhan Tore, but is he really all that?
Gokhan Tore in action for Besiktas
The Hammers have been linked with a number of players this summer and have already signed Norweigan Havard Nordveit and Algerian star Sofiane Feghouli on shrewd free transfers.
The signing of another player they have long been linked with, though, has not been quite as straightforward.
According to the likes of Sky Sports, the East Londoners are still in negotiations with Besiktas over a deal for the diminutive winger.
It is understood the club, on the verge of their big move to the 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium, will have to spend as much as £13 million to get their man.
There has been a lot of excitement among Hammers fans over Tore’s potential arrival.
Tore
Is Tore all that?
But is the Turkey international really all that? Here are just a few of the reasons casting doubts over the player’s move.
According to reports West Ham wanted to loan Tore to see how he fared before buying him, something the club has done in the past and David Sullivan’s preferred way to do business in some circumstances.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
Hesitation doesn’t add up
But having worked with Slaven Bilic during his time as Besiktas boss, surely the manager – whose stock is high having led West Ham to their best ever Premier League points tally and first positive goal difference for 30 years – would be certain of his ability and character already?
If Bilic is hesitant then perhaps he sees the move as something of a gamble?
Turkey coach Fatih Terim
Turkey snub
Then there is the situation with Turkey at the European Championships in France.
Tore is billed as a Turkish star and the German-born 24-year-old has 26 senior caps to his name.
Why then was he left out of his country’s Euro squad despite the fact he would have been available for their crucial third game having served a two-match international ban?
That third game may well have been a pivotal match in deciding whether Fatih Terim’s side advanced to the knockout stages.
It could be seen as a lack of ambition from Terim but surely if the player was so important he would have taken one of the 23 squad places regardless of the two-game suspension.
Gokhan Tore during Besiktas’ Europa League win over Spurs under Slaven Bilic
The Chelsea factor
Then finally there is the Chelsea factor.
He was was spotted by then Blues talent scout Frank Arnesen while playing for Bayer Leverkusen’s youth team.
At Stamford Bridge he spent most of his time in the reserves, where he helped Chelsea win the Premier Reserve League in the 2010–11 season.H
His only game for the first team however, came in a pre-season match against Crystal Palace coming on as an 63rd-minute substitute for Daniel Sturridge.
While Chelsea are famous and very much frowned upon for their farming of young talent, it again raises the question over the Hammers move for Tore.
In the player’s defence he has enjoyed a fine spell at Besiktas where he has scored 12 goals in 82 games over three years from the wing.
He has also weighed in with an impressive number of assists and helped Besiktas win the Turkish Super Lig last season.
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