Everton to battle Tottenham Hotspur for Zeki Celik
According to a report from The Times, Tottenham Hotspur will have to battle with Premier League rivals Everton in the race to sign full-back Zeki Celik from LOSC Lille.
The 23-year-old Celik came through the youth ranks at Bursaspor and spent time at Bursa Nilufer (loan) and Istanbulspor, before signing for Lille in the summer of 2018.
Since joining the Ligue 1 outfit, the defender has grown into a regular in the first-team and has impressed heavily. Till date, he has featured 68 times for the French club, scoring one goal and setting up eight more.
In what was a curtailed 2019/20 campaign in France due to the pandemic, Celik featured 32 times across all competitions, contributing with three assists.
It is no breaking news that Tottenham’s right-back situation is a bit worrisome at the moment. Having let Kieran Trippier leave last summer, we were left with just Serge Aurier as the senior right-back in the squad. Kyle Walker-Peters was also loaned out in January and is likely to be sold permanently this summer.
In addition, Aurier’s future is also uncertain, amid interest from AC Milan. So, it is imperative that the club recruit a new right-back, irrespective of whether Aurier stays or leaves. Having said that, Celik would be a fine addition to the ranks.
Young and dynamic, the 23-year-old has proven himself at the top level with Lille. And he can prove to be a long-term solution to our right-back woes. However, we will now have to stave off competition from Everton, who are also keen on signing the 14-time capped Turkish international. (h/t The Times)
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As per the report, Lille value Celik at €20 million (about £18 million), which is a reasonable price for a defender of his age and abilities. However, it remains to be seen if the club is able to secure a deal for the Turkish international.
