Arsenal could potentially rekindle their interest in LOSC Lille’s breakout sensation Yusuf Yazici once the transfer window re-opens in January.
According to Daily Mail, Arsenal are among clubs in contention to potentially land a move for Yusuf Yazici in the upcoming January transfer window. The LOSC Lille playmaker has emerged as one of the rising stars in France, though his performances have mainly come in the UEFA Europa League.
Arsenal were reportedly interested in making a move for Yazici when he was at Trabzonspor. He was courted by former boss Arsene Wenger, who even attended games to watch him play. Rumours have died down following the attacker’s €17.5 million move to LOSC Lille last summer, but that shouldn’t be a problem for the Gunners as they actively search for a replacement for Mesut Ozil.
The German superstar has endured a rapid fall from grace this year, despite a promising start to his spell under Mikel Arteta. He was notably excluded from the club’s 25-man Premier League squad and is yet to feature in a single competitive game since Project Restart.
As a result, Ozil is almost destined to leave Arsenal next summer, when his contract comes to an end. It could serve as a massive boost for the club, from a financial perspective as the playmaker earns a whopping £350k a week.
In fact, there is a possibility Ozil could leave in the January transfer window, thus opening the door for Arsenal to go after a potential replacement. And that is where Yazici could come into the fray.
Only six players have scored 2+ hat-tricks within a single #UEL campaign:
◎ Radamel Falcao (2010-11)
◎ Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (2011-12)
◎ Edin Dzeko (2016-17)
◎ Manuel Fernandes (2017-18)
◎ Diogo Jota (2019-20)
◉ Yusuf Yazici (2020-21)Ridiculous. ?? pic.twitter.com/RmtLTGqKgM
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 5, 2020
The Turkish international has been involved in eight goals in just 12 matches this season. However, six of those goals have come in the Europa League, with the player notably scoring hat-tricks against Sparta Praha and AC Milan respectively.
That said, Yazici has not been able to replicate those numbers in Ligue 1, scoring just one goal in nine matches. His overall statistics have been awfully low as well, with the playmaker failing to even come up with one key pass per game in the French top-flight so far. He has also attempted below one shot on goal per game.
Throughout his career, Yazici has been a subject of criticism in regards to his consistency while his style of play is also one-dimensional, at times. It would, therefore, be a wise move on Arsenal’s part to monitor the Turk’s progress throughout the campaign rather than rushing towards a move in the January transfer window.
The Gunners should, however, look speed up transfer negotiations regarding RB Salzburg star Dominik Szoboszlai. Initial discussions are already taking place so it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga takes shape within the coming months.
