Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is hoping to see Kerem Akturkoglu join him in the Premier League with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur eyeing the Galatasaray star, speaking to Tivibu Sport.
Then again, Gundogan might not be quite so keen on the idea if the Turkish international speed-machine is tearing up the Etihad Turf in the colours of Arsenal or Spurs next season.
According to Aksam, the London giants are going head-to-head for Akturkoglu’s signature with the summer transfer window now just a couple of weeks away.
The 23-year-old left-winger, valued at £17 million by cash-strapped, crisis-hit Galatasaray, is also on the respective radars of Atletico Madrid and Lyon while Wolfsburg failed with an opening bid in the region of £12 million recently.
Is Kerem Atkurkoglu joining a Man City star in the Premier League?
With 11 goals and ten assists to his name, Akturkoglu has been a ray of light cutting through the clouds at Gala’s Nef Stadium.
So much so that Gundogan has found himself keeping a close eye on the Istanbul giants of late, in the hope of seeing Kerem wreak his trademark brand of jet-heeled havoc on the flanks.
“I’ve been following Galatasaray more in recent weeks,” says Gundogan, a Germany international or Turkish heritage.
“Kerem Akturkoglu is a footballer worthy of Europe. Like Caglar (Soyuncu, of Leicester City), I would like to see him move one step forward in Germany. And, then, to England.
“We would like to see Kerem play for the big teams of Europe.”
Akturkoglu certainly struck the fear of God into the usually unruffled Xavi Hernandez recently. The Barcelona boss admits that he took special measures to stop a ‘very fast’ attacking talent in his tracks during their Europa League round-of-32 tie with Galatasaray
Should he join Tottenham, further questions will be asked about Steven Bergwijn’s future in the capital.
Arsenal, meanwhile, already have one twinkle-toed left-winger in Gabriel Martinelli. Then again, Mikel Arteta could do with a dash of depth. Especially if his wafer-thin Arsenal side seal a return to Europe.
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A move to Lyon currently seems unlikely for Akturkoglu, however. The Europa League quarter-finalists beat Southampton to Brazilian trickster Tete last week.
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