Moussa Sissoko 'keen' on Turkey loan move as Trabzonspor await Tottenham decision

Trabzonspor have pressed forward with their attempts to offer Moussa Sissoko a viable escape route from Tottenham Hotspur, with the player said to be keen on a summer switch to Turkey.

Former Newcastle United midfielder Sissoko endured a wretched first season at Spurs after Mauricio Pochettino beat Everton to a club-record £30m ($39m) deal on deadline day last year, starting just eight top-flight matches and failing to score a single goal in any competition.

Trabzonspor's interest in signing the French international was revealed last week, with president Muharrem Usta confirming talks with both him and AC Milan's Jose Sosa.

He confirmed that the Super Lig outfit were only interested in a loan deal and expressed doubt that Tottenham would want to part company with a player on whom they had lavished such a significant sum.

Providing a new update on that pursuit of Sissoko, Usta's deputy, Gencaga Meric, revealed that talks had progressed well and that the 27-year-old was eager to move to Medical Park Arena. However, Spurs' desire for a permanent sale that would see them attempt to recover their losses appear to be a considerable stumbling block towards any short-term arrangement.

"Sissoko is keen on joining, we have spoken with him and talks went well," Meric was quoted as saying by The Mirror. "We have yet to convince Tottenham or their manager. Tottenham want to recoup most of what they invested in Sissoko but we want him on loan. We have made our offer and are waiting for a decision."

Sissoko was omitted from Tottenham's squad for a pre-season tour of the United States due to a virus. However, he started, featured for 65 minutes and even struck the post during an impressive 2-0 friendly victory over reigning Serie A champions Juventus at Wembley on Saturday (5 August).

It had previously been rumoured that Spurs would have to subsidise part of Sissoko's £85,000-per-week wages in order to offload him amid apparent interest from the likes of Everton and Marseille. Despite that speculation, Pochettino insisted that the former Toulouse man - one of the stars of last summer's European Championship - did have a role to play in his squad this season.

Sissoko has been candid in conceding that 2016-17 was the worst year of his career to date and previously admitted that he could leave Tottenham as he bids to play more regularly at club level and earn a place in the French squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Kyle Walker, Nabil Bentaleb, Clinton Njie and Federico Fazio have all made permanent departures from north London this summer, while Pau Lopez returned to Espanyol and Josh Onomah was permitted to join Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal. Tottenham have yet to add a single player to their squad during the current transfer window with the new campaign now just days away.