Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are among the clubs monitoring Galatasaray midfielder Aleksey Batrakov, with the 21-year-old reportedly available for £50 million through a release clause.
Batrakov only joined the Turkish club this summer after attracting attention during his time with Lokomotiv Moscow. His arrival has not prevented early speculation about a possible move, with several leading European sides said to be tracking his progress.
Chelsea and Manchester City are also reported to be interested, while Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are understood to be particularly appealing options for the Russia international.
Aleksey Batrakov’s Galatasaray future
Reports suggest Batrakov may favour Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain over a move to the Premier League. The stature of those clubs, along with their style of play, is said to be influencing his thinking.
Galatasaray, however, are reportedly reluctant to sell the youngster so soon after bringing him to the club. Any decision over his future is therefore likely to depend on whether one of his admirers is prepared to trigger the £50 million clause.
For now, the interest appears to be at an early stage and there is no indication that a transfer is close. Batrakov’s contract situation could nevertheless make him an attractive proposition for a number of Europe’s top clubs.
The release clause may also give potential suitors a route to completing a deal sooner than expected, despite Galatasaray’s stated reluctance to part with him.
