Just hours after Turkish reports claimed we’d had a £13m bid accepted to sign Besiktas star Oğuzhan Özyakup, North-East reporters Chris Waugh (Chronicle) and Miles Starforth (Gazette) have categorically denied claims he’s set to sign.
The midfielder has been linked with a move to Tyneside over the past few months and the Chronicle have confirmed that he was a midfielder Newcastle had been scouting, however claims of a £13m bid being accepted appear to be wide of the mark.
Chris Waugh’s latest piece does insist that Rafa Benitez is “determined to sign a creative midfielder this summer”, but insists that Besiktas’ Ozyakup is not one of his top targets.
Here’s what they’ve had to say in response to rumours that we’d had a bid accepted for the Turkish international:
Reports in Turkey this morning claimed #nufc have launched a bid for midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup. Understand that's not the case. Midfield is a priority position for Rafa – & Ozyakup has been scouted before – but #nufc are looking elsewhere at the moment
— Chris Waugh (@ChrisDHWaugh) June 3, 2018
Understand that Besiktas midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup is NOT a target for Newcastle, despite reports of a £13m bid in Turkey. #nufc
— Miles Starforth (@milesstarforth) June 3, 2018
It was fun while it lasted!