Man City, Arsenal in seven-club race for 18-year-old set to star at Euro 2024, agent confirms
Manchester City and Arsenal are among seven European clubs keeping tabs on Besiktas star Semih Kilicsoy as the teenager prepares for Euro 2024 with Turkey.
Kilicsoy came off the bench to win his first cap for Turkey on Tuesday after his breakout season in the Turkish Super Lig and hopes to be in the final squad heading to Germany later this month.
Seven-club race for Kilicsoy
Playing both on the left wing and as a centre-forward, Kilicsoy claimed 11 goals and three assists in 20 league starts, and was one of few bright sparks for Besiktas in a disppointing campaign that saw them finish sixth.
Reports in March said both Arsenal and City had sent representatives to watch Kilicsoy in action and it was further claimed that City had gathered positive reports on the 18-year-old and planned to steal a march on their rivals to secure his transfer.
But as Kilicsoy’s agent Murat Teber explains, City won’t just be battling Arsenal for the teenager, with Bayern Munich and PSG among the seven clubs “watching” his progress.
“I know that clubs such as Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Arsenal, PSG, Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart are watching Semih. We received information about this. But it has not reached the offer stage. At least, there is no offer that has reached us,” he said.
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Teenager focusing on Euro 2024
Kilicsoy is under contract with Beskitas until 2028 and his agent insisted no decision would be made on his future until after the Euros.
“Semih is a different player at his young age. Therefore, Semih is followed in the five biggest leagues of Europe,” Teber explained.
“Of course, Beşiktaş’s situation is also important here. There are multiple factors. Currently, Semih is only concentrating on the national team. We will look at the situation after the Euros.”
Arsenal are keen to add a goalscorer like Kilicsoy to their ranks and have been heavily linked with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, though will be concerned by Chelsea’s interest given their penchant for hijacks.
City meanwhile may be of a mind to hoover up young talent while they can with potential transfer bans, points deductions and Premier League expulsion on the cards.
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