Andrea Berta’s Turkey connections are now being used to facilitate £55m transfer

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta leaned on his connections in Turkey multiple times during the summer transfer window.

Most notably, the Italian used these links to facilitate Leandro Trossard’s move to Besiktas, which freed up wages and squad space to sign Christos Tzolis. He also tried to sell Gabriel Martinelli to Galatasaray before the Brazilian turned that approach down and ultimately moved to Al Hilal instead.

Very early in the window there were also murmurings that Martin Odegaard had been offered to Galatasaray, something that, putting two and two together, may well have come from Berta’s network rather than any genuine desire to sell the captain.

Towards the end of the summer, as Arsenal searched for a marquee attacking signing, there was some noise regarding a possible move for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen. Ultimately, that never came to anything, but again, it’s easy to assume Berta was at the heart of that.

Now those same connections could be used again, and this time, the player involved is Viktor Gyokeres.

Galatasaray considering January transfer bid for Viktor Gyokeres

According to Turkish Football, Galatasaray are plotting a winter move for Gyokeres, ‘exploring financial parameters to determine whether a loan or structured proposal’ could be brought to Arsenal in January.

Manager Okan Buruk views the Swedish striker as the ideal profile to partner or rotate alongside Osimhen. Whether Arsenal could possibly negotiate for some sort of swap deal isn’t known, but that would surely be beneficial for the Gunners.

Gyokeres has played just 29 minutes of Premier League football so far this season, and across all competitions he is yet to score or assist. In truth, he has been pretty dreadful when he has played, and there is now a growing acceptance inside Arsenal that a ruthless decision may be required.

A January switch to Galatasaray — a huge club playing in the Champions League — would be a good move for Gyokeres and give him the regular football he wants while freeing Arsenal to pursue a replacement.