Premier League rivals Leeds United and Crystal Palace have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Okay Yokuslu with the former West Brom ace closing the door on a return to Turkey, as reported by Sporx.
West Bromwich albion finished a distant 19th during their brief return to the top flight – sinking like a stone while never threatening to replicate the Great Escape of the Bryan Robson era.
Oddly enough, however, a host of players still managed to emerge from a disastrous campaign with their reputations enhanced.
Matheus Pereira and Sam Johnstone look certain to get big-money moves back to the big time before 31 August, while loanees Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Conor Gallagher and the eternally frustrating Mbaye Diagne have all been linked with more chances in the top division.
Yokuslu on Leeds and Crystal Palace radars
Yokuslu, meanwhile, has earned plenty of admirers thanks to his diligent, disciplined performances in the heart of midfield, snapping into tackles one second before breaking the lines with a piercing through ball the next.
Leeds want a deep-lying enforcer capable of easing the burden on Kalvin ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ Phillips and El Desmarque reports the Whites will battle Crystal Palace for Yokuslu’s signature.
The Turkey international recently admitted he hopes to secure a return to England, via the Express & Star, and his agent has now shed more light on the situation.
And reading between the lines, it’s clear an approach from Marcelo Bielsa would be more than a little tempting.
“We have no intention of returning to Turkey,” Batur Altiparmak explains, shrugging off a potential switch to Fenerbahce.
Yokuslu appears to have no future at La Liga outfit Celta Vigo, the £5.2 million ball-winner having tumbled well down the pecking order at the Balaidos Stadium before joining West Brom on loan in January.
The 27-year-old did himself no justice at Euro 2020, however, with Turkey proving to be more like donkeys than ‘dark horses’.
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