The midfielder was close to joining Arsenal in 2015, and is now being linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Talented Beskitas midfielder Tolgay Arslan has been linked with a £9 million move to Spurs, according to Turkish media outlet Fotomac, as Mauricio Pochettino looks to add greater strength-in-depth to his midfield department.
Things could have been so different for the 27-year-old, however, had he completed a switch to Tottenham’s fierce rivals Arsenal way back in January 2015, rather than join his current club Besiktas from Hamburg.
The Daily Mail claim that the Gunners were close to signing the former Germany under-21 international, only to lose out on his signature to the Super Lig outfit.
At the time, Arsenal would have been seen as a more attractive option than Tottenham, but how things have changed.
The balance of power in north London has well and truly shifted, with the Lilywhites ahead of Arsene Wenger’s men in the table this season, having finished 11 points clear of them last term.
It is not just the pints difference that highlights the gulf in class between the two sides, however.
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It is quite clear to see that Mauricio Pochettino is building something special and exciting at Spurs, whereas Arsene Wenger continues to oversee the slow decay of a once great football club.
And Arslan will be happy that he chose to reject a move to Arsenal back in 2015, with the opportunity to move to Tottenham now a very real prospect.
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