Turkish club Besiktas are reportedly lining up a move for Arsenal FC striker Danny Welbeck, who was signed last summer from Manchester United.
The 24-year-old moved to the Emirates last season after a much talked about move from Manchester United. The Englishman struggled to find a regular place in the starting line-up as inconsistent performance and fitness concerns meant he made only 18 starts in the Premier League for the Gunners. Although he didna t have the kind of impact he was hoping the make, his best moment came at Old Trafford, where his winning goal knocked out his former club and set Arsenal on their way to another FA Cup win.
Turkish newspaper Aksam reported earlier today that Besiktas are considering a move for Welbeck this summer. Another Turkish media outlet . Fanatik even claimed that a Arsenal have set a a 14 million valuation on the England international, Besiktas want to negotiate a lower pricea .
Besiktas are in the market for a new striker, following the departure of Demba Ba to Shanghai Shenhua, and they were earlier linked with Robin van Persie, before the Dutchman eventually joined rivals Fenerbahce. The Turkish outfit also turned their attention towards another Arsenal forward, Joel Campbell, but a move has failed to materialize so far.
Reports claim that they still have Campbell in their sights, but only as a back-up option if they fail to land his teammate Danny Welbeck, which, one might add, seems improvable to say the least. Despite his average debut season, Welbeck has a contract till 2019 with club. Arsene Wenger still retains faith in him and is unlikely to ship him to Turkey after just one season.
Moreover, the price quoted by the Turkish media is ludicrous. Arsenal bought him for A?16 million last season and are unlikely to sell him for a loss. It must also be mentioned that Welbeck is struggling with his fitness currently and is likely to miss the opening matches of next season, which Arsene Wenger confirmed earlier today. This news seems more like a gossip one usually encounters at this point of the year, and something which the Turkish media is renowned for. Joel Campbell though remains a potentially attainable target for Besiktas.