Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly involved in a three-way battle in the pursuit of Lille’s in-demand full-back Zeki Celik.
LOSC Lille’s fairytale title-winning campaign was always bound to become the attraction of the European market this summer. And as reported by Evening Standard, it appears Zeki Celik could become the first player to leave the club, having already attracted interest from three Premier League giants Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Even Inter Milan are keen on the services of Celik, which might be in connection with Real Madrid stepping up their pursuit of Achraf Hakimi this summer. Arsenal, too, were interested in the former Borussia Dortmund star, but after being priced out of a move, it appears they have set their sights on Celik, who is valued at only €15 million.
There is no secret that Arsenal are on the hunt for a right-back this summer, as they prepare for life without Hector Bellerin. The long-serving Spaniard has already been linked with a move away from the Emirates, with Mikel Arteta himself keen on undergoing a major overhaul in the squad this summer.
Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also determined to sign an upgrade over Serge Aurier and Matt Doherty, neither of whom managed to live up to the expectations in 2020/21.
Manchester United, on the other hand, face a different situation as they already have an established right-back in Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, however, is keen on adding more competition in the right-back department, especially after seeing how the acquisition of Alex Telles has improved the form of Luke Shaw.
Someone like Zeki Celik could be an ideal option for all of these three clubs as he is versatile enough to not only play as a right-back but also as a wing-back and even as a winger if required. For a fee of just €15 million, the Turkish international could be an absolute bargain for Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham, especially in the current financial climate.
The clubs, however, will need to appear swift in their pursuit of Celik, knowing his performances in the upcoming Euro may potentially drive up his valuation. The three-way transfer battle between Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham, though, will already give Lille enough reason to ask for a higher fee, although the full-back’s contract does expire in 2023.