Premier League trio Brighton, Everton and West Ham United are in the fray for prolific Besiktas striker Cyle Larin, who will be a free agent next summer.
According to Teamtalk, the Premier League trio of Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton, and West Ham United are all keeping tabs on Besiktas star Cyle Larin.
The 26-year-old joined Besiktas from MLS outfit Orlando City in 2018. He has since made 87 appearances, registering 36 goals and nine assists. Primarily a centre-forward, he can also play on the wings. Larin averages more than a goal a game when deployed on the right flank.
His impressive performances in the Turkish Super Lig have drawn interest from many teams from across Europe. One of the teams in the fray for his signature is Brighton. This season, the Seagulls have impressed under Graham Potter and find themselves only in the ninth spot in the Premier League.
However, they have played out eight draws in their 15 league games so far. A major reason for it has been their inability to put away goalscoring opportunities. Only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Norwich City have scored lesser goals than Brighton in the English top-flight this season.
Adding Larin to their ranks will give Potter an alternative to Neal Maupay, Brighton’s top scorer this season. The addition of the Canadian international will hand Brighton a reliable goalscorer who can lead the line alongside Maupay.
A similar tale of profligacy has unfolded at Everton, who are struggling in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Rafale Benitez’s side looks toothless in attack and could do with another prolific striker in their ranks. At 26, Larin seems set to take the next step in his career, and the Premier League would be the right arena for him to gauge his abilities.
Of all the teams in the fray, West Ham can provide Larin with the most interesting project. David Moyes have breathed life into the Irons, and they look a formidable side under his tutelage. The Hammers, however, are overly reliant on Michail Antonio, and his absence could prove to kill the buzz in the attack. With European football also on the table, the London outfit could steal a march on their rivals in the transfer race.
An astute finisher, Larin is also a handful in the air. Add to it his physicality, and there is little reason to suggest he cannot hold his own in the Premier League. He would certainly be a stellar addition to any of the teams in the fray.
The striker’s contract at Besiktas expires next summer. This means that he is free to reach a pre-contract agreement with foreign sides from January 1. Whether Besiktas will sell him on the cheap in January than lose him for free in the summer remains to be seen. If Larin is put on the market, there would be several suitors lining up for his services in England. Where he eventually ends up remains to be seen.
