Arsenal have taken their first steps along the road to sign in-demand Turkish starlet Arda Guler, a player who has been compared to Mesut Ozil.
The midfielder only turned 17 in February, but has already made a name for himself in Turkey. Indeed, he has been impressing at Ozil's former club Fenerbahce, making his debut just days after his 16th birthday and playing alongside the ex-Arsenal star in the Super Lig this season.
Arsenal are far from the only side interested in the teenager, with Liverpool among the other clubs in the mix. However, according to reports in Turkey, the London side have begun doing what they can to get a deal over the line.
Turkish publication Aksam (via FourFourTwo ) reports that Arsenal have 'started the transfer process' to bring Guler to London. While the youngster has been dubbed "the Turkish Messi" by fans, there have also been plenty of comparisons to his former club teammate Ozil.
Ozil himself joined Fenerbahce in 2021 after ending his seven-and-a-half year association with Arsenal, joining the Gunners in what was then a club-record deal before ultimately leaving on a free transfer. However, things took a turn for the worse, with the Turkish club suspending the German international in March.
The 33-year-old last played for Fener in March, but the Istanbul club still secured a second-place finish without him. They can qualify for the Champions League if they come through two qualifying rounds, the first against Dynamo Kyiv in July.
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Guler started just twice in the Super Lig last season, making a further 10 appearances from the bench. However, he was still able to score three goals and notch several assists.
He also earned minutes in the Europa Conference League, making his bow in the competition at 16. The wonderkid registered assists in both legs of the knockout round play-off against Slavia Prague as Fenerbahce were eliminated 6-4 on aggregate.
If Guler does join Arsenal, it would continue an impressive summer for the London side. Mikel Arteta's men missed out on a Champions League spot on the final day of last season, but have continued to add to their ranks with Champions League football on the horizon.
Brazilian starlet Marquinhos was the first new arrival, joining from Sao Paulo, with Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira and United States international goalkeeper Matt Turner also joining. Gabriel Jesus will become the Gunners' fourth senior signing when he completes his move from Manchester City, while Arsenal have also made sales with Matteo Guendouzi among those to leave.
