Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have reportedly joined the race to sign Turkish midfielder Ismail Yuksek.
According to TeamTalk, Fenerbahce’s Ismail Yuksek have emerged as a transfer target for Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs have enjoyed an impressive start to their new campaign and can return to the top of the table with a win over London rivals Fulham on Monday evening. With no European football distracting them in midweek, the Lilywhites are looking like a good pick for a top-four finish.
However, instability at Tottenham is imminent, with three important players set to leave for international duty at the turn of the year. Son Heung-min will be representing South Korea at the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, starting midfielders Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma will set away for Senegal and Mali national team camps, respectively, in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Although Spurs have backup options in the midfield department, such as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp, while Rodrigo Bentancur is also nearing a return from a long-term injury, Postecoglou appears to be looking to bring in another quality midfielder in the new year, especially with Hojbjerg’s future up in the air.
The Denmark international no longer enjoys a prominent starting role in north London, and with the disappointment of failed summer moves to both Atletico Madrid and Fulham still causing frustration to the Dane, it appears a move away in the new year could be on the cards for him amid interest from Italy.
Several names continue to be linked with a switch to north London. However, a fresh report has emerged linking Tottenham to the impressive Fenerbahce midfielder Yuksek, whose fine displays have caught the attention of several top European clubs.
Fenerbahce have won all their league games this season and are currently sitting atop the Super League table. They are also unbeaten in the Europa League, and the 24-year-old holding midfielder has been one of the key players for them, managing a goal and two assists in 14 games.
The Turkish international continued his outstanding form with the national team in recent European qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia. Spurs are not the only Premier League team impressed with Yuksek, with West Ham also monitoring his performances ahead of the January window.
The Hammers’ new-look midfield after Declan Rice’s departure this summer has performed very well this season. James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Kudus, and Edson Alvarez have bedded very well under David Moyes, and none have done anything to warrant being dropped.
However, the season is long, and if West Ham can secure themselves a good run in the Europa League, they will need quality reinforcements on the bench or to allow others to rest, making Yuksek a viable target, although he may struggle to break into the first team at the start.
Yuksek’s contract with Fenerbahce runs until the summer of 2027, and it needs to be seen whether he will be open to leaving the Yellow Canaries in the winter market if one of the clubs were to make an approach for him.
