Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United are reportedly set to rival Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Galatasaray star Kerem Akturkoglu in the upcoming transfer window.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United are seriously interested in signing Turkish winger Kerem Akturkoglu from Galatasaray in January. But Tottenham are looking to trump their rivals to his signature by accelerating their pursuit.
Akturkoglu has been on the books of Galatasaray since 2020 and has been brilliant for the Turkish giants in recent years. He has racked up 34 goals and 37 assists in 135 games for Gala, proving himself to be a consistent goal and assist contributor.
The winger helped Galatasaray win the Turkish Super Lig last season and has attracted interest from a number of top European clubs after his impressive start to the 2023/24 season. These include West Ham United.
The 24-year-old has scored five goals and assisted a further seven in 16 games for Galatasaray this season, including a lovely finish at Old Trafford in Gala’s famous UEFA Champions League win over Manchester United earlier this month.
Following Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic’s serious injury issues, Tottenham are seemingly looking to sign a new left-winger to add depth to their frontline when the transfer market re-opens in January, especially with the latter in the final year of his contract.
The Lilywhites are looking for a versatile profile who can contribute goals and assist in attack. And Akturkoglu fits the desired profile perfectly for Tottenham, as although he mainly operates on the left-wing, he can also play as a second striker if needed.
However, Fichajes has now provided an update on the transfer hunt. They state that Spurs are trying to take the front seat by entering into talks for Akturkoglu’s potential signing, that the fresh update “has created quite a stir in the Premier League,” and that they may now face stiff competition from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, for one, are looking to strengthen their squad once again as they aim to put in another sustained title bid this time around. And the addition of another attacker like Akturkoglu would give the Spaniard even more options up front, enabling him to manage the minutes of influential wingers Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.
Liverpool have also been mentioned as suitors for the Turk. But they already have enough depth in those positions, with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Ben Doak, and Harvey Elliott all top-notch options.
A left-winger might not be a top priority for the Reds, whose pre-January transfer focus is likelier to be towards a left-footed centre-back or maybe a specialised right-winger who can replace Mohamed Salah in the long run.
As for Manchester United, Jadon Sancho is out of the first-team squad indefinitely and might never play for the club again after a breakup with manager Erik ten Hag. Recent reports have suggested the former Borussia Dortmund winger will be on his way out of Old Trafford in January.
Coupled with the uncertainty surrounding Antony’s availability going forward, Manchester United’s priority is to sign a quality winger in the coming months, and Akturkoglu’s arrival could provide a goal-scoring threat from out-wide.
