Newcastle have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun, as the 26-year-old Turkey international has told ESPN he is very much keen on a switch to the Premier League.
The £17million rated Tosun was a subject of a failed £12million summer transfer deadline day bid from Crystal Palace, with a move collapsing mainly due to the lateness of the bid.
Alongside the aforementioned EPL duo, Tottenham are also keen on the Besiktas target man who scored 24 times in 47 appearances during the 2016-17 campaign.
Spurs sent scouts to watch Tosun, 26, play and score in Besiktas’ 3-1 win over Porto in the Champions League last week, but with Harry Kane the undisputed top striking option at the north London club, it isn’t unlikely the Turkish would love being second fiddle.
However, he is almost certainly guaranteed a starting shirt at Saint James’ Park, and with the club hoping to establish themselves in the top half of the table going forward, a striker of Tosun’s calibre would be a perfect spearhead for the project.
The German-born striker who already has 4 goals in 6 games this term said of his EPL wishes: “I am really happy at Besiktas but like Arda Turan and Nuri Sahin I want to be an ambassador for Turkey abroad.
“I am keen on playing in England. I am really pleased with the interest being shown from the Premier League sides mentioned.
“It really is an honour and we will discuss my future with the club president at the end of the season.”
While this is an open invitation for clubs to come all out for his signature, Newcastle have got a good chance to land their man should they negotiate well.
