Six years after Mesut Ozil tipped Yusuf Yazici to end up at ‘a big European club’, his prediction could yet come true.
Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign free-agent Turkey international Yusuf Yazici, alongside a host of other Premier League clubs.
Yazici’s contract at Ligue 1 outfit Lille expired on July 1st. Three months on, the 27-year-old is still yet to make a decision over where he plans to go next. A
In addition to Manchester United, HITC report AC Milan and Lazio are keen to take Yazici to Italy, while Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle and more have all been contacted ahead of a potential outside-of-the-window switch to the Premier League.
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Manchester United handed Yusuf Yazici chance
At this stage, it appears that Yazici has been offered to Man United rather than Man United offering themselves to Yazici.
If the Red Devils were to make a move, they would first have to get Christian Eriksen off the roster. And, as things stand, the likelihood is that Eriksen will be sticking around.
The Dane’s agent told Voetbal International this week that Eriksen had turned down offers from Turkey, America and the Middle East, while Ajax and Anderlecht have also ruled out a move of their own.
So Yusuf Yazici to Manchester United feels, at this moment in time anyway, like a bit of a non-starter.
Still, the admiration for the one-time Ligue 1 champion goes back a long way at Old Trafford. Or, at least, that is the rumour.
According to Turkish publication Fanatik, Man United showed an interest in a 20-year-old Yazici back in 2017, when he was making quite the impression at Trabzonspor and earning admirers in some pretty influential circles.
Meanwhile, Ozil is another admirer, telling Hurriyet: “Yusuf Yazici is an amazing number 10. We have a lot of similarities; his left foot, his position, his passing, and calmness on the ball. We will see Yusuf at a big European club in the near future.”
Who is Yusuf Yazici?
Yazici has been a regular source of goals for a Lille side who overachieved consistently in recent years.
He netted Europa League hat-tricks against both Sparta Prague and AC Milan, scoring 14 times as Lille were crowned French champions back in 2021.
“Yusuf? Obviously when you score a hat-trick in a match like that, it’s because you’ve been exceptionally good,” former Les Dogues boss Christophe Galtier told the club’s official website after his stunning San Siro treble.
“Apart from his technical quality, he provided a lot of activity in this first defensive line which requires a lot of effort. He complied with the demands of the team. He put all that at the service of the team.
“Yusuf is a player with a different profile to all the other players.”
- Age: 27
- Nationality: Turkish, 45 caps
- Clubs: Lille, Trabzonspor, CSKA Moscow
12 weeks after his contract expired, that Yazici is still a free-agent, and this appears to be down to the player taking his time and considering his options rather than due to a lack of offers.
A proposed switch to Man United still seems unlikely with Eriksen proving difficult to shift. Yet, Yazici could still be an outstanding piece of business for another club who find themselves a number ten short.
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