According to a claim in the Turkish media, Besiktas are showing interest in Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka.
The Black Eagles are keen to bring in a defensive central midfielder this summer. Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangare is also an option.
Fotomac report on Besiktas’ pursuit for a No.6 due to uncertainty over the future of Wilfred Ndidi. The Nigerian has been linked with a return to the Premier League following his spell at Leicester City.
Subsequently the Istanbul club could in the market for Ndidi’s replacement and the Sunderland captain is said to be on their agenda.
Sunderland player interest in move
It’s claimed Xhaka would be interested in a move to the Super Lig at this stage of his career. The 33-year-old has reportedly been gathering information about the Turkish topflight and also living in Istanbul.
Now, at this point it’s worth pointing about that the Turkish media are nothing if not optimistic. Player’s are often said to be keen on a move when the reality may be quite different.
That said, relatively new tax rules for Turkish football has made the country very attractive financially. That’s how Galatasaray have managed to sign the likes of Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane.
Besiktas are under pressure to compete. Their squad is nowhere near the level of Gala and fans haven’t been happy for quite some time.
Serdal Adalı, the club’s president, and manager Sergen Yalçın will lead any pursuit. The two are set to have a meeting regarding Xhaka and whether to pursue the Switzerland international.
Nottingham Forest midfielder also option
Earlier today we covered reports that they were also making an attempt to sign Sangaré from Nottingham Forest. The Ivorian’s agent has already been contacted by the Super Lig giants and an offer is being lined up.
However, Besiktas may be priced out of a move for the 28-year-old and Xhaka may be seen as a more affordable option.
Xhaka has made 34 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring one goal. He’s contracted to Sunderland until June 2028 after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
An exit is surely unlikely, but Turkish clubs love nothing more than an ambitious transfer idea.
