The Turkish star might be on the verge of transferring to the Premier League to join Arsenal.
In recent weeks, multiple reports from Turkey have indicated that Arsenal is showing heightened interest in Fenerbahce’s Ferdi Kadioglu. The latest updates even claim that the two sides have ‘reached an agreement.’
Last Friday, Turkish outlet Sabah reported that the left-back was gearing up for a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal being the frontrunner to sign him.
However, a new update has emerged from the Turkish newspaper Milliyet (via Sport Witness), featuring a headline about the 24-year-old: ‘Step by Step to Arsenal’.
The article begins by discussing the defender’s aspiration to move to England in the upcoming summer transfer window. It notes that Arsenal is not only the team most interested in him but has also ‘begun to take concrete steps’ to secure his transfer.
Milliyet also reports that Arsenal has ‘reached an agreement’ with the full-back and his agent regarding personal terms, although the specifics are not disclosed.
The North London club is anticipated to ‘sit down at the table’ with Fenerbahce to finalize the deal for the Turkish international.
Kadioglu is currently under contract with Fenerbahce until 2026, but the club’s president, Ali Koc, previously acknowledged that the defender might leave in the upcoming transfer window.
Interested parties will need to pay €20m (£17m) for Kadioglu’s signature, although it seems unlikely that Arsenal will have any difficulty meeting this relatively modest valuation.
The Turkish footballer’s immediate competition within the Arsenal squad would be Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior. Both have struggled to consistently secure the position this season, often losing their spots to Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Although the difference in quality between the Turkish Super Lig and the Premier League is significant, it is notable that WhoScored.com rates Kadioglu higher than Zinchenko in almost every metric. For instance, Kadioglu averages 1.6 clearances per game compared to Zinchenko’s 0.8.
The 24-year-old, who has played as a full-back, midfielder, and winger, has been with Fenerbahce since 2018, making nearly 150 league appearances and scoring 11 goals.
He also has 15 international caps for Turkey, having previously represented the Netherlands at the youth level.
His Turkish debut was in a 4-0 UEFA Nations League win over the Faroe Islands, and he scored his first goal for Turkey in November 2023 during a 3-2 win over Germany.
