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Besiktas are in talks with Arsenal to take Egypt international Mohamed Elneny on loan for the 2019/20 campaign.
What’s the story?
The former FC Basel player’s future at the Emirates Stadium looks bleak. He is yet to feature during this campaign, and started just 12 games in the previous season.
Unai Emery has already made it clear that he is not a part of his plans this term, saying, “Elneny and Mustafi know their situation in the squad. I spoke with them a lot of times last year and in this pre-season. I think it’s positive for them to leave and to sign for another team where they can be protagonists, they can be happy and they can continue in their careers as very big players. They are very big players.”
As such, the Super Lig side have taken an interest in the 27-year-old, according to Turkish-Football. Talks between the two sides are underway, whilst Besiktas have also spoken to the player himself. It seems that he would not be against a move away from north London.
AFTV’s Robbie has his say on Arsenal’s owners in the video below…
Put him in the shop window
On the face of it, a loan switch is questionable. Why keep a player on the books who appears unlikely to ever feature regularly for the club again? However, when you look a little closer, it makes sense for all involved.
Firstly, it is a good move for Elneny. At 27, he is in the prime of his career, and he will want to be regularly involved in the action. Whilst Turkish football may not have the glamour of the Premier League, the passion of the fans makes it an interesting place to play, and many star footballers have enjoyed their time there. Just ask Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder, for example.
Arsenal will also benefit from the move. Currently, the midfielder is valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt after spending almost a whole year watching on from the bench or the stands. Besiktas are one of the best teams in their country, and are also in the Europa League this season.
As such, Elneny can put himself in the shop window with some strong performances, meaning the Gunners would reap the benefits and could then sell him for a higher fee next year. He still has three years left on his contract, so next summer would be an opportune time to sell should Elneny perform well.
As such, this is a move that works well for all parties, and they should be hoping a deal can be completed before the transfer deadline.
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