Manchester United plotting bid to sign Besiktas midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup

Manchester United are plotting a bid for Besiktas midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup as Jose Mourinho looks to strengthen his midfield ranks before the start of the season. The former Arsenal midfielder has attracted interest from clubs across Europe after impressing in the Turkish league in the last two seasons.

According to Turkish publication Fanatik, the Red Devils are keen to take the midfielder to Old Trafford this summer as the Portuguese manager looks to overhaul his squad ahead of the new season. The report claimed that Mourinho received good reports about Ozyakup from West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic, who managed the midfielder during his spell as the Besiktas boss.

The 23-year-old has been impressive in recent seasons, and played a key role during the 2015/16 campaign to help Besiktas claim the Super Lig title. He scored nine goals and provided seven assists from a deep lying midfielder's role, which has attracted interest from clubs in England and abroad.

Mourinho is keen to bolster his midfield before the start of the season and has been linked with a number of players in recent weeks. Paul Pogba is the most frequently mentioned name, with the Daily Mail reporting that a deal between United and Juventus has been agreed for the midfielder's transfer in a world-record £100m ($131m) deal.

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marouane Fellaini are facing uncertain futures at the club and if both of them depart, the Portuguese manager will look for further reinforcements, which could see him turn to the Turkey international. Besiktas are reluctant to lose a key player, but are likely to accept if interested clubs meet their valuation of the midfielder, which is around the €20m (£16.8m) mark.

According to Deportivo Valenciano, Arsenal were also interested in bringing the former midfielder back to the Emirates Stadium, but Wenger has indicated that he will not be signing any more midfielder's this summer following the acquisition of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach. Instead the French manager is focusing his attentions on bringing in a forward and a defender before the summer transfer window.