Fenerbahce are demanding £25 million for Turkish wonderkid Arda Guler with Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool expressing their interest, as reported by Ajansspor.
Mesut Ozil knows a thing or two about life at the top level.
And following March’s 5-2 thumping of Ajansspor – a game in which Guler opened his account in senior football while providing a gorgeous assist – the former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Germany star made a bold prediction about his 17-year-old Fenerbahce team-mate.
“A super goal and a super assist. Quality,” Ozil said. “(Arda) will be a world star.”
Having only celebrated his 17th birthday in February, Guler’s footballing journey is only just beginning. In fact, he’s barely left the driveway.
But with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool sending scouts to watch the twinkle-toed teenager, Guler could be putting pen to paper with a major European club far earlier than Ozil did (Fanatik).
The 2014 World Cup winner was 21, four years older than his fresh-faced team-mate, when getting his big break at the Santiago Bernebau a decade ago.
Is Arda Guler heading to the Premier League?
“I don’t think Arda will stay in Turkey too long,” says Erol Tokgozler, Guler’s former coach at Genclerbirligi. “I know that there are offers from Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
“With each passing match, the number of these (interested) teams will increase. 20 to 30 million euros for Arda will be very ordinary (bids).”
According to Ajansspor, Guler already has a £25 million price-tag on his head. In addition to Arsenal, Liverpool and newly-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern, the Turkey U17 international has admirers at Bayer Leverkusen, Fiorentina and a Borussia Dortmund side with a remarkable track record when it comes to unearthing the next generation of footballing superstars, even if Guler’s compatriot Emre Mor failed to live up to expectations at the Signal Iduna Park a couple of years ago.
The report adds that Guler has a £17 million release clause in his contract, albeit one that can only be triggered at the end of next season, in the summer of 2023.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal, Liverpool and co are willing to wait another 12 months, fully aware that – while Guler will be available at a lower fee – they are likely to face even more competition should be maintain his current rate of progression.
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