Arsenal is monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt forward Can Uzun and might plans to decide next summer whether to make a formal bid, rather than pay his full €60 million release clause in the winter window.
Uzun has four goals and three assists in six matches this season. Arsenal reportedly sounded out Uzun’s agency, 11WINS, and are exploring a double deal with Club Brugge’s Nicolo Tresoldi, who is represented by the same group.
Arsenal is also exploring a move for Tresoldi. Signing both players would cost an estimated £92 million, with Brugge asking £42 million for Tresoldi and Frankfurt insisting on Uzun’s €60 million clause.
Arsenal sold Trossard to Besiktas and agreed a deal for Christos Tzolis. Gabriel Martinelli has since completed a move to Al-Hilal. The attempts to sign the two bigger names also failed. Morgan Rogers chose Chelsea, and Vinicius Junior rejected Arsenal’s offer.
Manager Mikel Arteta decided the team needed more depth on the wings. Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze can play on the left, but Arteta considers them better in other positions and wanted a main competitor for Tzolis.
Because Ozun keeps the ball under pressure and links play perfectly, people compare him to Dimitar Berbatov. So far, he has bagged 19 goals in 65 games for Frankfurt, earned 10 caps for Turkiye, scored one international goal, and even made their World Cup squad in June.
Right now, Ozun is the flavor of the month in Europe. Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton, Everton, Dortmund, and AC Milan all want him. However, Arsenal historically hates triggering big release clauses for young players during the winter window.
Arteta and Berta are waiting until the summer to bid for Uzun, monitoring him closely, even though coach Adi Hütter warned that his inconsistency might stand in his own way.
“The sooner Can understands that football is also a team sport in which he can contribute his abilities, the more successful his career will be,” Hutter said. “Otherwise, he could potentially end up standing in his own way.”
“He’s a very good footballer, there’s no need to debate that. But I also expect consistency. And I expect Can Uzun to demonstrate his abilities during the week as well as in matches.”
Additionally, former Frankfurt manager Albert Riera said that some players sit on the bench because they only shine when they have the ball, he said, “The reason some don’t play is that you can be great with the ball, but not good without it… I want complete players. They have to fulfil both roles.”
Uzun was left out in the cold against 1. FC Köln and returned to the pitch as a late substitute in Frankfurt’s loss to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Frankfurt’s next match is against Hamburger SV in the DFB-Pokal second round.
Frankfurt director of football Markus Krosche recently left the club, which could change the team’s approach to transfers. If Uzun does not improve, Frankfurt could be unable to hold its asking price, which would give Arsenal room to negotiate next summer.
