North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly set to go up against each other for Turkish international Kerem Akturkoglu.
According to Aksam, Premier League duo Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are both keeping close tabs on Turkish international Kerem Akturkoglu.
The youngster came through the ranks at several Turkish clubs before rising to the first-team squad at Galatasaray. He has since made a name for himself with the Aslanlar, scoring 17 goals and assisting 12 more in 73 games.
Akturkoglu has taken his game up a notch this season, netting 11 goals and providing nine assists in 44 appearances. Just 23, he will only get better with age, and it remains to be seen just how long he will stay in the Super Lig before moving to more competitive leagues.
Arsenal and Tottenham are both in a state of rebuild and are up against each other for a top-four spot this season. The arch-rivals are both aware of the Turkish international’s talents and are expected to make a move for him in the summer.
The Gunners appear to be coming together under Mikel Arteta but lack strength in depth. With the likes of Nicolas Pepe failing to impress, Arsenal have had to rely on the youthful trio of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli to make the difference up front. Adding Akturkoglu to the mix will give Arteta more options to choose from.
A similar situation is prevailing at Tottenham, where Antonio Conte is seeking attacking reinforcements to complement Son Heung-min and Harry Kane. The arrival of Dejan Kulusevski has added more bite to the Tottenham attack, but it may not be enough to see them through a season across all competitions.
The North London duo will also need to compete with Lyon, Atletico Madrid and Wolfsburg for Akturkoglu’s services. Galatasaray appear to be open to a sale but are seeking upwards of €20 million for their star man.
Primarily a winger, the 23-year-old can play anywhere along the frontline and possesses the dynamism needed to thrive in an all-action role in the attack. With no shortage of suitors, it remains to be seen if he will eventually end up in North London by joining either Arsenal or Tottenham.