Hakan Calhanoglu will want to forget about this summer’s Euro 2020 as quickly as possible.
Many had tipped Turkey to be the dark horses of the tournament, but Calhanoglu and his teammates disappointed with torrid performances in the group stages and exit the competition on the back of three defeats.
The focus for Calhanoglu will now be on his future.
The AC Milan midfielder’s contract runs out at the end of the month and he has been hesitant to sign a new deal with the Italian giants.
According to Football Italia, AC Milan have given the Turkey international a deadline of June 30 to sign a new deal – just nine days.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for the 27-year-old, who has spent four years at Milan.
With Mikel Arteta and Edu keen to add at least five summer signings, injecting creativity into the midfield and someone who can contribute with goals and assists is a key area, and Calhanoglu could be the perfect option for the club.
The midfielder netted nine goals and registered 12 assists in 43 appearances for AC Milan and he can be a threat from set-pieces too.
Blessed with a wand of a right-foot, Calhanoglu was often compared to Mesut Ozil back in his days at Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg.
Like Ozil, he was born in Germany and is of Turkish heritage, but unlike the former Arsenal star, Calhanolgu opted to represent the country of his origin rather than his birth nationality.
Premier League supporters were welcomed back to grounds across the country towards the end of last season and hope reigns eternal that the 2021/22 season will go by without disruptions.
Arsenal tickets will once again be available at www.arsenal.com/tickets
Memberships are available, which reduces the prices for tickets bought thereafter. A full breakdown of how much tickets cost for Category A, B and C games can be found here.
Whether he will end up at Arsenal, only time will tell, but Arteta and his backroom staff will undoubtedly keep a close eye on the development of his contract situation in the coming weeks.
Under the current financial strains imposed by the pandemic, luring someone of Calhanoglu’s ilk could be a major coup.
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