Newcastle United are eyeing a move for Arda Guler, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT.
Newcastle United transfer news – what is the latest on Arda Guler?
The youngster has attracted interest from a lot of Europe's elite clubs.
Indeed, Guler linked with a move away from Fenerbahçe this summer, and one thing that will potentially help him seal a move away is the fact that he has a £17.5 million release clause, though there is a hidden fee in his contract.
Arsenal have been reported to be interested in signing the youngster, as well as Newcastle, so it won't be easy as Mikel Arteta has built a real welcoming environment for young talents at Arsenal with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka thriving.
But, one thing that could stop both the Magpies and the Gunners in their tracks is the fact that Fenerbahçe are hoping to hand the winger a new deal at the club, which would get rid of any current clause that clubs could look to trigger.
What has Jones said about Guler amid Newcastle transfer interest?
And, to make things even more difficult, it looks as if the Magpies may have trouble meeting the player's demands, as Jones had this to say when speaking to GIVEMESPORT: "They are being linked with Arda Guler and to be fair this lad is a teen sensation, we are looking at someone that is talked about in Turkey as a generational talent. One of the best players they have ever produced.
This fits the profiling Newcastle want in terms of their second-tier signings, as they want to always have an eye on that next level of player that is ready to break through. But there is a slight issue here because from what I am told, Arda Guler is going to focus on making sure he chooses a club where he has genuine first-team opportunities."
How has Guler fared over in Turkey?
The player dubbed the 'Turkish Lionel Messi' by local reporters had a very strong league season last season, recording an average rating of 7.28 across his 20 appearances, in which he scored four and assisted three, which was the seventh-highest rating in the entire Super Lig.
The winger reportedly had a release clause of just €5m until the final game of the season, where he surpassed 1,500 minutes played and caused an increase to €17.5m (£15m).
Guler, who has been hailed as a "magician", is one of the most exciting prospects in the world, as Jones says, and the Magpies will be hoping that he chooses to continue his development and career at St James Park.
However, in reality it may be difficult for the Magpies to offer him consistent football at this moment in time as the likes of Elliot Anderson, Miguel Almiron, Joe Willock, Anthony Gordon, Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin all operate in similar areas to the youngster. But, there is no denying the pulling power that Newcastle now have with Champions League football and PIF at the helm, with the signing of Sandro Tonali recently providing proof of that.