Ankara Keciorengucu president Sedat Tahiroğlu has claimed that Liverpool want to sign Galatasaray winger Baris Alper Yilmaz.
Recent reports from Turkey have claimed that the Reds have ‘immediately started working’ to try and secure a deal for the 24-year-old after his impressive performances for Turkey at Euro 2024. The forward did not score in Germany but helped his nation reach the quarter-finals where they lost 2-1 to the Netherlands on Saturday.
Alper Yilmaz’s performances also played a key role in Galatasaray’s league title win last term and helped the Turkish giants reach the Europa League knockout playoff round.
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And now Keciorengucu president Tahiroğlu has suggested that Liverpool’s reported interest in Alper Yilmaz is genuine. The winger spent a season at Keciorengucu before leaving in July 2021 to join Galatasaray.
“We have 20% of Barış Alper Yılmaz’s share, but we have not received a request from Galatasaray to meet with us on this issue. I hear that Liverpool want him, Arsenal want him, but I know Nuri Sahin definitely wants it,” Tahiroğlu told Turkish publication Aksam, via SportWitness.
“I don’t think the price of €50m will come out. He could be sold for around €30m.”
Reds centre-back and captain Virgil Van Dijk heaped praise on Turkey and Yilmaz in the aftermath of the Netherlands’ victory. He said: “Baris Alper Yilmaz was running constantly. He was running elusive.
“It was difficult for every defender. He made it very hard for us. He couldn’t score a goal though. If we were to describe him in any way, he is a really important player.”