West Brom are said to be preparing for talks with Turkish side Besiktas about a potential transfer for star midfielder Okay Yokuslu.
That is according to Turkish journalist Sercan Dikme, who claims that the Baggies could potentially lose one of their key players this summer as he reaches the final year of his contract.
The Turkish enforcer has already reportedly had interest from Trabzonspor this summer, but they are now joined by Besiktas as the two Turkish Super Lig sides look set to battle it out for the central midfielder.
The 30-year-old featured in 44 matches for Albion in 2023-24, as he helped his side reach the Championship play-offs, before losing out to eventual winners Southampton in the semi-finals.
Yokuslu has been recreating his imperious Baggies form on the international stage this summer, having featured twice for his country on their run to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
West Bromwich Albion set for Besiktas talks concerning Okay Yokuslu transfer
Following his permanent return from La Liga team Celta Viga in 2022, Yokuslu has established himself as a formidable presence in the West Brom midfield, frequently enabling his team to seize control of games with his commanding performances.
During that time, the center midfielder has played in 82 league games for the team. Carlos Corberan, the manager, has consistently relied on him to win the midfield fight.
Yokuslu is on his second stint at The Hawthorns after enjoying a successful loan spell in the Black Country during the 2020–21 season, during which he made 16 appearances for the Baggies.
The Turk has more than made his mark in his two seasons with the team; no other player has made more tackles than the 66 he threw his body into during the previous campaign.
With just one year remaining on his deal, the Turk, who last played for Trabzonspor in his native country in 2018, may be planning a summer return to his native nation.
As he enters the final 12 months of his current deal, West Brom may be keen to cash in on their midfield maestro while they still can, with the two club’s chiefs set to begin talks about a deal in the coming days.
Okay Yokuslu could be set for West Bromwich Albion exit as Carlos Corberan adds to Baggies squad
In order to improve on last season’s playoff heartbreak in the forthcoming season, Corberan has lost no time in recruiting players to his Albion squad.
The head coach of the Baggies has already brought in two new players this summer. The first is defensive midfielder Ousmane Diakite, who signed a two-year contract with the team after joining on a free transfer from Austrian team TSV Hartberg.
A second summer signing has also recently been announced, with defender Torbjorn Heggem making the move to the Midlands from Swedish top flight outfit Brommapojkarna on a three-year deal.
With extra reinforcements added in defensive areas already, the idea of recouping a fee for their influential midfielder this summer may appeal to the Baggies’ bigwigs, who can reinvest the funds back into the squad this summer.
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