Arsenal scout Jurgen Kost – a man who looks like he has been killed at least twice in every Die Hard movie – has been saying some nice things about Turkish footballers to Turkish kids in Turkey.
At an educational event hosted by the Arsenal Soccer School in the Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul, the German played to the local crowd when asked about Besiktas star Oguzhan Ozyakup, who left the Emirates in 2012.
“Ozyakup is a player of the highest standard,” said Kost, a long-standing member of Arsene Wenger’s scouting team.
“We have been closely tracking his progress and when we do our next search for players in his position he could return to Arsenal.”
As is often the case these days, the quote – presumably made in response to a direct question about the player during the Q&A session – has since been taken out of context with Arsenal’s apparent ‘interest’ being presented as a bona fide transfer story. Meh.
Turkish-Football.com carry a few other snippets from Kost, who also briefly chatted to assembled media, including:
“I have been scouting a Turkish kid in Germany, I watched him 2-3 weeks ago, he plays in central midfield. I won’t give his name yet but he is very talented and we are considering signing him.”
Kost also apparently confirmed that Arsenal had once scouted Arda Turan, around the time of the European Championships in 2008, that he didn’t really rate Thomas Muller, but has been proved wrong, and that there’s a kid in Sparta Prague’s under-15s called Miroslav Pena, that he thinks will go far in the game.
He also told the assembled kids that if they have the same qualities as Mesut Ozil then there’s a good chance they will make it at a big club.
This last revelation has come as a shock to Arseblog News as we’ve been sitting on a broad range of Ozil-like skills (deft touch, great vision, love of pugs, willingness to shoulder-barge non-league opponents to annoy Chris Sutton) but have been too embarrassed to tell anyone. We fear we may have missed the boat and will now live our lives wistfully wondering what might have been…
‘Turkish kid in Germany who plays in central midfield’ has gotta be Kerem Demirbay
well spoted . although it doesnt necesserily have to be a first team player . it could just be a young turkish central midfielder waiting to explode in near future
Was this the guy that discovered Masal Bugduv?
I mean no disrespect but with such looks, if he scouts you… run for your lives and try not to meet him in a dark alley.
Actually, think of it, could explain our scouting problems right?
He looks like a bald, overweight, bergkamp taking a poo.
Let’s hope he can squeeze out a champion.
If I was a scout I’d be watching Leipzik very closely. Maybe Monaco too.
Not very subtle, are you?
“How would you like a tryout at the Arsenal?”
“Very much!”
* shoots kid with tranquilizer dart, stuffs him in the boot of a car, drives him to the Emirates
I hear you Blogs. I’ve never stopped wondering where my ability to ghost away and pop up unpredictably could have taken me. If only we’d had the right guidance at that critical age, I’m sure.
Can’t imagine Wenger re-signing Ozyakup but certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a move this summer. Think Lazio tried to get him last year.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/02/12/leicester-scout-who-helped-spot-mahrez-and-kante-joins-arsenal/
JUST FYI for those people who continuously bleatoin about Arsenal not putting in place elements for the future when Wenger departs.
Just last season we appointed Ben Wigglesworth (silly name I know) who was the chief scout for Leicester.
I think before jumping to conclusions, people need to step back a little and understand that we are an incredibly well run club.
They bought well at Leciester.
I have to say I like Simeone/Athletico purchases too. They know how to buy strikers there.
They have a big benefit in Spain where they can get work permits for South American kids, which is a major problem for PL teams.
Also, in Spain you can keep your most promising young talent together and play train them in arsenal philosophies while also giving them experience playing in games that actually matter against teams fighting for promotion, in front of real crowds. Having an Arsenal B team in the Championship or League 1 rather than having to loan them out to get that experience would be a huge advantage in developing talent, ss can be seen by the youth squads for the best clubs in Spain.
Simeone in for Wenger.
I seem to recall people associated with Leicester (Gary Lineker for example) saying that it was someone else entirely that was responsible for signing those players and that Arsenal had poached the wrong man.
i heard that too. i think it was steve walsh who is now at everton .
All that scouting only to rot in the bench no matter how hard they perform ala Perez.
I mean the bloke looks absolutely mental.
Should just employ him as a permanent fixture in the dressing room to scare the players into a proper performance!
Arsene finishing up his pre-game talk in the dressing room: “Now go out there and do what I said, or Jurgen will give the half-time talk.”
It’s Emre Mor, plays for dortmund
He is a winger and probably not that easy to sign