Barcelona attacking midfielder and Turkish international Arda Turan is set to exit Nou Camp after only joining the La Liga giants in the summer transfer window last year. Arsenal are reported among the clubs interested.
According to The Sun the return of Denis Suarez, a star academy graduate at Barcelona, who spent a year at Villareal, has now triggered speculation surrounding Arda Turan’s role and future at the club, provided that both the young Spaniard and the Turkey captain play in the same position.
Turan joined Barcelona in the summer transfer window last year from Atletico Madrid, but could not feature for the Catalan side till January, along with fellow new signing Aleix Vidal.
In the games that he has featured Turan has scored only 2 goals and provided 4 assists. With Neymar and Messi the undoubted starters along with Suarez, the arrival of Denis Suarez puts Turan down further in the pecking order.
Arsenal are reportedly favourites to land the attacking midfielder, with The Metro reporting that Arsene Wenger wants Turan in a new attacking midfield set up alongside Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
The Gunners, however, could face competition for the player. Chelsea’s new manager Antonio Conte and Italian champions Juventus are both reportedly interested as well. There is likely to be tough competition for the player.
While the player’s agent did say last week that Turan is ‘happy’ at Barcelona, it has now emerged that the Barcelona hierarchy will make him available for around £20 million. (Well, at least according to talk sport)
Arda Turan left an Atletico Madrid side that relied on a style not suitable to his strengths. The Madrid giants derived a disciplined off-the-ball game plan along with strategic counter attacking football under Diego Simeone, a system that did not benefit from Arda’s main qualities.
This is not to say that Turan would not have fit into the Atletico Madrid system at all. The fact that Barcelona were interested in him, would have been an offer too difficult to resist.
If Turan does land up in London, Arsenal forward Theo Walcott’s future at the club would be in serious doubts. There is little doubt, however, that Turan, along with Ozil and Sanchez sounds like an exciting midfield three, possibly the most exciting in the premiership. Do you think Arda Turan would be a good addition to the Arsenal?
