Arsenal set sights on 19-year-old Bundesliga 2 starlet to help fix midfield woes

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Arsenal are said to be keeping tabs on Stuttgart midfielder Berkay Ozcan as he continues to impress and grab attention with his displays in Germany.

The 19-year-old is enjoying a breakout season after making his debut at senior level last August, as he has made 18 appearances for the club, scoring three goals and providing four assists.

While he is undoubtedly way off the finished article, The Sun report that he has already caught the eye of Arsenal and could be heading to the Emirates in the not too distant future.

The suggestion that the Gunners are monitoring him has come from his agent, although naturally there is no official suggestion from within the club as of yet that they are keen to sign the teenager.

“Many top clubs are interested at Berkay,” Baris Yukselsen told football.london.

“Arsenal has Berkay on its list, but at the moment he is focusing on Stuttgart’s resurgence.”

Meanwhile, the Sun have connected the dots between Yukselsen’s comments and those made by Arsenal scout Jurgen Kost earlier this week as he revealed that he was watching a player who fits the bill set by Ozcan.

“I have been scouting a Turkish kid in Germany. I watched him 2-3 weeks ago, he plays in central midfield.

“I won’t give his name yet but he is very talented and we are considering signing him.”

It’s always a gamble signing a player at this age in terms of trying to predict whether or not he’ll develop into the top player that the club hopes he will be. It’s a criticism that Arsenal have had to deal with for many years, and it’s part of the reason why Arsene Wenger has gone so long without a major trophy and is now facing angry protests from supporters.

Whether the French tactician is still at the club next season or not, the Gunners need to bolster their midfield options with a creative player capable of scoring goals, linking up play and adding flair alongside a destroyer like Mohamed Elneny. It remains to be seen if Ozcan is the man for the job.

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