Arsenal 'leading race' to beat Spurs to £22m wonderkid transfer coup

Arsenal and Manchester City are reportedly the ‘best placed’ clubs to sign Besiktas wonderkid Semih Kilicsoy but the 18-year-old is also receiving interest from Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham as well as Newcastle and Manchester United.

The report from HITC suggests that with only just over two weeks to go before the summer transfer window opens up, the Istanbul-born forward could be one of several Turkish Super Lig’s stars to make the jump over to the Premier League. Kilicsoy, in particular, is sparking interest from some of the league’s richest clubs.

At the start of May, HITC had reported that both the Gunners and City were leading the race for Kilicsoy’s signature and as we near the end of the month, that appears to still very much be the case. A leading scout at one of the two Premier League topping clubs is also said to have called Kilicsoy a ‘special talent’.

The competition is however growing rapidly for his services and along with Spurs, Newcastle and Manchester United, it would also appear Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen are all also wanting to put their names in the mix.

Arsenal have long been on the hunt for a striker and have been heavily linked with moves for Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee, Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko but Kilicsoy, who is also said to have admirers at Real Madrid, is expected to cost at least £22 million - the cheapest of all aforementioned striking options.

The former Galatasary goalkeeper Ahmet Bulut did, however, tell Sportx that Besiktas should demand more for the forward sensation and called him ‘Turkey’s rising star’.

The 18-year-old Turkish U21 international has contributed 11 goals and four assists in 20 Super Lig starts this season with Besiktas finishing a disappointing sixth place in the league. The forward did, however help his hometown side to lift the Turkish Cup, beating Trabzonspor in the final.