Why Crystal Palace should return for Ozan Tufan in January
According to Football London, Crystal Palace could make a renewed attempt to land Fenerbahce midfielder Ozan Tufan in the January transfer window.
The 25-year-old was initially linked with a move to Selhurst Park back in 2018 but nothing came to fruition back then as Palace turned their attention elsewhere in the market. The Turkish international has continued to reach great heights in his homeland and recently revealed the details of his failed transfer to south-east London a couple of years ago.
However, Palace could still sign him in the upcoming window with reports in Turkey (h/t Football London) linking the Eagles with the midfielder once again. Premier League rivals Fulham and Everton are also believed to be following Tufan with a view to a potential transfer this month.
As per the report, Fenerbahce are hoping to receive €20m for their prized asset, although Roy Hodgson’s side are unlikely to go that far in their valuation of the midfielder. The Turkish giants remain in a strong negotiation position over any potential deal, with Tufan still having several years remaining on his contract until 2023.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have slipped down to 14th in the Premier League standings after managing just two wins from their last nine games. The Eagles enjoyed a fine start to the campaign with two wins in two but a lacklustre run of form has dented the spirits at Selhurst Park. With the January window upon us, Hodgson should surely weigh up some fresh additions to bolster his squad.
Putting things into perspective, Ozan Tufan would be an exciting addition to Palace’s ranks during the mid-season trading period. The vastly-experienced 55-cap Turkish international has been a consistent performer in his homeland for several seasons.
Palace roped in Eberechi Eze from QPR to bolster their creative midfield options in the summer. The youngster has proved to be a quality signing for the Eagles and has established himself as a key component in Hodgson’s setup. However, question marks continue to linger over the futures of some of the other midfielders in the squad.
James McArthur remains a regular starter in the Premier League but he is nearing his twilight at 33. With the Scottish star’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, Palace definitely need to look for some younger alternatives. James McCarthy has also fallen out of favour this term and has been linked with a January move to Celtic.
With Cheikhou Kouyate also on the other side of 30 and Max Meyer out of contract next summer, Palace can certainly do with a dynamic option like Tufan in the middle. Essentially a box-to-box midfielder by trade, the Turk has featured regularly in a more advanced No.10 role and also in a deeper holding midfield role.
Besides his versatility, Tufan would also add more attacking threat to Palace’s midfield. The 25-year-old boasts an impressive tally of 19 goals and 16 assists in 147 appearances for Fenerbache, which clearly lies testament to his quality on the ball.
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Verdict
Palace need to start looking at alternatives to replace the ageing legs in their midfield. Ozan Tufan ticks plenty of boxes to come through the door at Selhurst Park as a quality addition to the ranks. The Turk already boasts an impressive CV for a player aged just 25. And he still potentially has his best years ahead of him. Having said that, the Eagles shouldn’t hesitate to splash the cash on the midfield dynamo in January.
