Chelsea FC are reportedly in talks with Atletico Madrid over the transfer of midfielder Arda Turan. The rumors began to swirl in the past few weeks after his agent made some telling comments about his client wanting to finally play in the Premier League.
RELATED: Koke To Remain At Atletico Madrid
As quoted in The Guardian, Turan’s agent Ahmet Bulut said, “Arda intends to leave Spain this summer and his will is to play in the Premier League. That is where he wants to take his career at this time.” As a world-class player, it would only make sense for Turan to move to one of the big clubs in England if his heart is set on playing there.
Considering the deals Chelsea FC and Atletico have made in the recent past, the two clubs have been linked once again in this potential transfer for the Turkish international. So let us take a closer look at Arda Turan and see if he would fit in to the Chelsea squad.
Name: Arda Turan
Date of Birth: January 30th, 1987 (age 28)
Birthplace: Istanbul, Turkey
Nationality: Turkish
Arda Turan is a Turkish international with 80 caps for his national side who really grew as a player with Istanbul side Galatasaray. He made a €12 million move to Atletico Madrid in 2011 and has grown in to one of Spain’s best players and the heart of Diego Simeone’s side. He is also the captain of the Turkey national team and has more than enough leadership capabilities to fit in to a veteran dressing room.
More from Chelsea FC News
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 1 Blue Mauricio Pochettino should drop
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 3 Blues who must start
- Predicted Chelsea lineup vs Bournemouth: Palmer starts in 4-2-3-1
- Chelsea sporting directors finally reveal why they sign so many young players
- These 3 new signings may never get a game at Chelsea
He has made over 40 appearances in each of his four seasons with Atletico and has been a key man in Atletico’s incredible run of recent success. He has Europa League, Copa Del Rey, and La Liga titles to his name and is known for his excellent ball control and vision. His goalscoring record is not the most prolific but goals are not an accurate measure of a midfielder who often operates from a deeper position. He is equally capable of operating in behind the striker and is a Jose Mourinho type player in that he gives as much effort in defense as he does in attack.
So where would Arda Turan fit in at Chelsea FC? He would bring a great deal of quality to the Chelsea side and would provide Mourinho with tremendous depth at the attacking and central midfield position. As of now Mourinho has Oscar or Cesc Fabregas in that role behind the striker but Turan could force Oscar out of the lineup. He may not have the same attacking flair as the Brazilian but his ball control and vision could make him a greater threat than Oscar against sides that press and harass Chelsea.
There is also the question of his age. At 28 going on 29, Turan is nearing the “expiration date” that Chelsea appears to have place on their players. They have only offered one year contracts to players 30 years or older in recent years and Turan is closer to that mark than most of the other players Chelsea have brought in. Still, at 28 he is still in the prime of his career and could offer a great deal to Chelsea and Mourinho.
Signing Arda Turan would make a great deal of sense for Chelsea because he is versatile and you can never have too many world class players in your squad. He may not play as regularly as he did for Atletico but if he wants to play in the Premier League and add more silverware to his collection then Chelsea is the ideal destination for Turan.
Next: Chelsea FC: Top 10 Defender Goals