Benitez confirmed as favourite to land Turkish delight
Author: Nigel Brown
Turkish international Arda Turan is set to quit Galatasaray with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez the confirmed favourite to land the talented 23-year-old playmaker. Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is also interested however the Turkish club do not see a player plus cash offer as value for losing their talismanic captain. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is an outsider for the signature of the Turkish international with the Frenchman concentrating on the Cesc Fabregas transfer situation.
Turan has been consistently linked with a move to the Premier League with the reds, Arsenal and Tottenham the reported chasing pack. The 23-year-old admitted in January that it was his ‘dream’ to play for Liverpool issuing a come and get me plea to the Kop. However the rumours over the Spaniard’s future had cast doubts over whether the Merseyside club will make a move for the Turkish international. Reports this morning suggest that Liverpool are the frontrunners for the player’s signature, while concerns over the futures of Steven Gerrard, Javier Maschernao, Fernando Torres, and Yossie Benayoun continue to manifest. Spurs and Arsenal are considered to be monitoring the situation.
Reports last week suggested that Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp was considering an offer of Giovanni Dos Santos plus cash for Arda Turan, however the Turkish giants are thought to not recognise a player plus cash offer as value for money for their inspirational leader. Meanwhile Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is dealing with the Cesc Fabregas situation with the Turkish international a possible option if the Spaniard leaves the Gunners for Catalan club Barcelona, although Wenger is thought to have a shortlist of replacements for Fabregas.
Speaking to Sport.co.uk Arda Turan’s agent earlier this year, Ahmet Bulut revealed that his client was considering his future in Turkey, and that Arsenal and Liverpool were two of the clubs interested in the playmaker’s services.
He said: “Well Arda still has two years to go on his contract, the interested clubs must make a serious offer to Galatasaray, and the club must accept it. His first choice is to play in England, in the Premier League. So, if the offer is a serious one than we can start to talk.
Ahmet Bulut was then asked if Arsenal and Liverpool were among the interested parties:
“There are a few clubs interested, Liverpool are one, and Arsenal. There are no official or concrete offers at the moment but two clubs have spoken about wages. However, in football you never know. The season finishes soon in Turkey, and then Arda will go to the USA with the national team and we will see after thatâ€
