Shilen Patel must prepare deal for Okay Yokuslu as West Brom exit links emerge
West Brom supporters will be happy to see the back of the January transfer window, as finally the threat of losing one of their biggest and brightest stars can be forgotten for a few months.
While Albion managed to keep all of their talent at The Hawthorns throughout January and even managed to tie Tom Fellows down to a new deal, speculation remained rife over a number of their players with various links appearing with clubs elsewhere.
One player who was the subject of some last-minute speculation was Okay Yokuslu, with the midfielder being linked with a potential move to Turkey.
Fenerbahce are interested in the 29-year-old and reports suggest that although the Turkish Super Lig leaders wanted to sign in January, they could eye another move for the West Brom star in the summer transfer window [Sports Digitale, 24 January].
While it is a boost for the Baggies to have the midfielder at The Hawthorns for the remainder of this season, West Brom and Carlos Corberan cannot afford to lose the Turkish star at the end of the season.
In Albion’s win over Birmingham City on Saturday (3 February), the 29-year-old managed to complete 82 per cent of his 38 attempted passes, three of which made their way into the final third.
Out of possession, the 29-year-old won 100 per cent of his aerial duels and entered an astonishing seven battles on the ground. On top of that, Yokuslu managed to make a huge eight-ball recovery and continuously break up play.
Yokuslu priority after West Brom takeover
Talk surrounding a takeover at The Hawthorns has been rife for much of the season and while new worries have been mooted recently, it seems as though things are heading in the right direction. US businessman Shilen Patel is said to be the frontrunner to buy out Guochuan Lai at the moment.
If and when this deal is completed, the Baggies have to look to extend Yokuslu’s contract, which is currently set to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season. A new deal will squash any talk of a move away from West Brom, while also securing a prized asset in the middle of the park.
Corberan’s side always looks better when the 29-year-old features in it and Albion can’t afford to lose him in the summer, no matter what division they’re playing in.
In other West Brom news, an update has emerged over Grady Diangana’s availability for the Baggies’ clash with Ipswich
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