Arda Turan: Liverpool Re-enter Chase with Spurs for Dazzling £10M Turk
According to reports in the Turkish press and quotes from the player’s agent, Tottenham have opened talks to sign Galatasaray’s star man Arda Turan. The talented winger has been a long-term target for both Arsenal and Spurs in recent seasons but with Arsene Wenger’s interest waning, it would seem Harry Redknapp is at the head of the queue. However, Spurs are not the only top Premier League club thought to be tracking the star as Roy Hodgson has identified the Flying winger as a priority signing for Liverpool and the player himself has often spoke of his desire to move to Anfield.
Turan’s agent Ahmet Bulut declared, “At the moment I have had no contact, unofficial or official from Arsenal or Arsene Wenger. Regarding Tottenham Hotspur there was a small enquiry regarding the player, but I have had no official contact or an official bid for the player.
“So, at the moment Arda (Turan) has two years left on his contract at Gala. And, we are waiting for an official bid for Arda from Tottenham. We will see.”
The player himself has often spoken of his dream of joining Liverpool. Turan issued a come and get me plea to the Reds last season when he said, “Of course I want to play abroad but it is our board’s decision. As I always mention, Liverpool attracts me because of their tradition. In Europe, I am a Liverpool supporter, so if I go to play in Europe, I would like to play for them.
“My dream has always been to play for one of the top European clubs, but you shouldn’t make concrete plans in your life because sometimes these plans cannot be achieved. This is my dream, but for now I’m just working on my football.”
Despite his interest in moving to Anfield, White Hart Lane may be a more likely move this summer with Spurs ready to spend. However, Hodgson is a keen admirer and knows Liverpool need more flair on the flanks and may invest in the flying Turk once Javier Mascherano is sold to either Inter Milan or Barcelona. Harry Redknapp is looking to strengthen his squad with some top quality new arrivals as the club takes part in the Champions League for the first time. Spurs have plenty of quality on the flanks but with David Bentley likely to be sold when he returns to fitness, Arda could provide real competition for Aaron Lennon on the right as well as Gareth Bale and Luka Modric on the left. He is a very different type of player to those current Tottenham stars in so much that he is an out and out dribbler with the ability to beat full-backs at will. Liverpool also need someone with the ability to beat defenders as the likes of Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez are not that type of player. Hodgson is eyeing the Turk to provide the inspiration that Damien Duff provided in a similar manner for his Fulham team last season.
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The player was widely expected to leave Galatasaray last summer with the club finishing a highly disappointing 5th in the Turkish league, 10 points behind champions Besiktas in 2008/09. However, a move didn’t materialise. A deal is likely to be done this summer after Galatasaray once again failed to win the Turkish title finishing 3rd, eleven points behind surprise winners Bursaspor. This disappointment has resulted in Arda Turan searching for a move to the Premier League with Tottenham and now Liverpool ready to make their move.
An added bonus for Spurs and Liverpool would be the player’s versatility as he can play on either flank or even in a more central role. It’s no surprise that Tottenham are so interested with the golden boy of Turkish football as Harry Redknapp looks to add some more penetration and flair to his already strong outfit. A lot may depend on Joe Cole who is likely to join either Tottenham or Arsenal. If he joins Redknapp then the North Londoners are likely to drop their interest leaving Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson with a clear run at him.
Last season, Spurs dropped points at home as a result of away teams sitting deep and restricting the space for the likes of Lennon to exploit. However, Arda like Joe Cole is a player that thrives on beating players even with little space so could be a key component in breaking teams down at White Hart Lane. The Reds also struggled to break teams down away from home and Hodgson sees Arda as the man to provide Liverpool with a real cutting edge which would allow the likes of Steven Gerrard far more space to exploit.
The 23-year-old Galatasaray midfielder enjoyed an excellent campaign individually last season even though the team ultimately struggled after scoring 7 goals in 29 league appearances (27 starts). He has scored 7 league goals in each of the last three seasons. The player would have liked to have left the club on a high but league failure last season means the captain won’t be doing so.
Since breaking into the first team he has scored an impressive 26 goals from 115 (107 starts) league appearances and has become a mainstay of the team that won the 2007/08 Turkish title. His match-winning performances in Turkey’s superb Euro 2008 displays also intensified the growing interest in the exciting winger as well as increased his price tag.
The player is expected to cost around £10m which may not be too much of a gamble for Tottenham or Liverpool if he can realise his amazing potential in England.
Arda has won 39 caps for his country (6 goals) despite his tender age after progressing from the U19 and U21 sides. The winger is both quick and two footed and has been likened to former Galatasaray legend Gheorghe Hagi in his home country, so should give you an idea of how highly he is rated. He has scored in two of his last three internationals against the Czech Republic and the USA.
If Arda does join Harry Redknapp’s team this summer then the amount of creative attacking talent at the Spurs disposal would be hugely. Arda fits the Tottenham bill in terms of creativity and technical ability. Likewise Liverpool would finally have a player in their ranks who can beat defenders with trickery rather than pure pace and power and would more than make up for the departure of Yossi Benayoun. We will have to wait and see if either of these two English giants can indeed secure the golden boy of Turkish football.
So would you like to see this exciting young talent in the Premier League or do you feel he could flatter to deceive in the hurly burly pace of the English top flight? Let’s hear your views.
Tags: Arda Turan, Galatasaray, Liverpool, Tottenham, Turkey
July 14th, 2010 at 15:15
Too good for both Spurs and Liverpool, he is an Arsenal player in everything but name,
July 14th, 2010 at 15:16
Get him in Roy, we have wanted him for a long time at Anfield!
July 14th, 2010 at 15:16
Liverpool??? They will need a whip round! lol
July 14th, 2010 at 15:22
Lets get him! Joe aint coming! He has good skill and can whip a cross from either side! Kyut and Babs upfront with Milan. Most importantly he WANTS to play for us not Arry!
July 14th, 2010 at 15:32
Arda Turan: Liverpool Re-enter Chase with Spurs for Dazzling £10M Turk
“The player himself has often spoken of his dream of joining Liverpool but Roy Hodgson is not looking to strengthen his squad in the position Arda plays in so this looks a non-starter.”
what a jarg article, makes no sense at all.
July 14th, 2010 at 15:37
what Jarg?
July 14th, 2010 at 15:59
I would love him at Anfield.
July 14th, 2010 at 15:59
Great article, lets hope LFC sign him and not Spurs who have been so lucky
July 14th, 2010 at 16:01
This story is so old i had to check what age i really was, if you going to print a story dont do it from a month ago
Cheers appreciated
July 14th, 2010 at 16:25
come on Roy, sign this guy..he will be great at anfield and he will deserve to wear the number 7 shirt..
July 14th, 2010 at 16:44
Arda Fenerin anasını sikmeden bir yere gitmez.
July 14th, 2010 at 16:50
Come to anfield arda! Brilliant article
July 14th, 2010 at 17:47
Bobby Stokes, what are you on about, Spurs are not lucky, as over the season you deserve where you finish and we came 4th, end of story. If Arda has any ambition he’ll come to us over Liverpool, who are not in the CL, in all sorts of financial trouble, have no idea who will own them in a year’s time and have just changed their manager.
July 14th, 2010 at 19:35
arda is gonna stay in gala,liverpool can see him their dream’s
July 14th, 2010 at 20:04
i dont know why liverpool have not already signed him… so many times has turan stated he wants to play for liverpool, so whats the problem? sign him please
July 14th, 2010 at 21:17
Better him than Cole! Better anything than Cole!
July 14th, 2010 at 22:19
if we dont get a player that wants to play for us and is highly rated as arda, then i can say for we are finished as a club!
Today he is worth £10-£14m playing at gala, he will be worth ATLEAST double that at anfield.
From a business point of view it makes sense and will definatley be a step forward on the pitch…
If he ends up at spurs.. then questions need to be asked and when we get the answers, we need to go and find those thieves up top and give them what for!
July 15th, 2010 at 08:21
This guy is can play either wing or even a more central position, he can curl in a cross or drive one in, he can cut and beat a defender, play a through ball or strike it with power, he has good physical strength (he has even head-butted a player Zidane style) he is meant for the EPL and I think Liverpool/Spurs could both use him. Plus did I mention his 22 or 23, he has potential to be world class in 2-3 years. And this video alone doesn’t do his skill justice, watch the 2008 Euros
July 15th, 2010 at 09:27
Don’t worry,Broughton will not be spending on this one. He will be selling and putting money towards lowering the debt NOT buying young, talented and useful multi-position players.Ardan would do well with Jovanovic but it is not to be….
July 15th, 2010 at 12:18
>”Too good for both Spurs and Liverpool, he is an Arsenal player in everything but name,”
Typical arrogant gooner. Your star’s falling son, soon your “golden child” Fibreglass will be off to Barca and your other “stars” like Arse-shavings and Van Pertwie will leave you, soon you’ll have just Eboubou and La-Sagna left…bye bye Arsenal…
July 15th, 2010 at 12:45
It is not all in having great players, we can do well withaout Gerrard, Torres, Mascherano, becouse now we have a manager that can work with average players and get the best of them!
July 15th, 2010 at 14:46
Hodgson needs to sell:
Mascherano £30m
Lucas £8m
Babel £8m
Benayoun £6m
Reira £5m
Insua £5m
Other 2nd rate crap £5m (plessis, el zhar etc)
£68m + 15m transfer budget = £83m
Buy
Milner £25m
Turan £15m
Huntelaar £10m
Banega £10m
Cisse or Bellamy £7m
Taiwo £6m
Ireland £5m
Richards £5m
Jovanavic Free
Scharner Free
Total £83m
Gk Reina
RB Richards
CB Carragher/ Skrtel
CB Agger
LB Taiwo
RW Johnson / Kuyt
CM Banega
CM Milner
CM Gerrard
LW Turan
ST Torres
Subs: Kryiakos, Carra or Skrtel, Scharner, Ireland, Maxi, Kuyt, Cisse or bellamy, Huntelaar and new blood from the reserves !!
These signings other than Milner are all do able
July 16th, 2010 at 12:05
Nice Dream Team Watson Red…sorry to burst your bubble but unlikely…If anything, Torres and/or Gerrard look to be off to Spain, so back to the drawing board for you methinks x
July 19th, 2010 at 17:20
Watson Red YOU GIMP.
July 22nd, 2010 at 23:57
Watson Red? You tihnk milner is worth 25 million?
Rumour has it we might be getting 10-15 million plus Eto’o of inter milan for mascharano. Id snap there hand off. Get This arda for 10 million and wayne bridge for 6 million.
Gk Reina
RB Johnson
CB Carragher
CB Skretel
LB Bridge
RM Cole
CM Gerrard
CM Aquilani
LM Turan
ST Eto’o
ST Torres
Id settle for that.
Other rumours are Hunterlaar cmoing to liverpool with Babel plus cash going the other way. Liverpool are far from done. We will be better than ever this season coming.
July 25th, 2010 at 13:06
I really hope we can sign Ozil ! My Liverpool XI for this coming season : (4-3-2-1) Christmas tree formation!
GK:Reina
RB:Johnson
CB:Skrtel
CB:Agger
LB:Bridge
CM:Ozil
CM:Aquilani
CM:Mascherano
AM:Gerrard
AM:Cole
FW:Torres
wad do u guys think!
July 31st, 2010 at 00:12
WOULD BE A CRYING SHAME IF THIS LAD ISN’T SIGNED FOR LIVERPOOL I’D PAY 50 MILLION FOR HIM, HE IS A WORLD TALENT AND HAS A POTENTIAL TO DRAG LIVERPOOL TO THE TOP OF THE PREMIERSHIP AGAIN
July 31st, 2010 at 15:08
Phew, the boy is RED hot, talented, exciting and a great purchase if the story has any fact? Very classy
July 31st, 2010 at 15:10
Its simple…get him
August 18th, 2010 at 12:36
Turan to Liverpool