Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Liverpool have intensified their scouting of Galatasaray playmaker Aleksey Batrakov after sending officials to watch him in European action this week. The 21-year-old Russian attacker has quickly caught the eye in Turkey following his summer switch from boyhood club Lokomotiv Moscow.
English scouts attend French victory
According to TEAMtalk, representatives from both the Gunners and the Reds travelled to northern France on Wednesday evening to assess the Russian attacking midfielder in person. Both sets of scouts were left impressed as the youngster found the net during a 4-2 triumph over Lille for the Istanbul outfit. Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have also been tracking the emerging talent since earlier this summer.
Turkish transfer bypasses government sanctions
English clubs were previously barred from negotiating directly with Lokomotiv due to UK government sanctions over the war in Ukraine, which restricted transfer dealings with Russian sides. However, his €25 million move to Istanbul has removed that barrier and made him accessible to Premier League suitors.
Galatasaray pounced to secure his signature after ending their pursuit of Bruno Fernandes, capitalising on Paris Saint-Germain prioritising deals for Ferran Torres and Maghnes Akliouche despite having also monitored the playmaker.
Since arriving in Turkey, the midfielder has swiftly settled into his new surroundings by registering two goals and two assists across his first six starts.
Contractual clause tempts elite suitors
While the Super Lig giants are delighted with their summer signing's immediate impact and have no desire to cash in on him, a specific contractual mechanism could take the matter out of their hands.
Batrakov's deal includes a release clause worth approximately £50 million that applies exclusively to clubs competing in Europe's top four leagues across England, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Triggering that fixed fee would hand the Turkish club roughly double the sum they paid Lokomotiv while offering his Premier League admirers a straightforward route to completing a transfer.
Five-way battle looms ahead
Sending scouts to watch the clash against Lille marks a notable step from Arsenal and Liverpool as they weigh up whether to formalise their interest ahead of upcoming transfer windows. With three domestic rivals also monitoring his progress closely, a fierce five-way Premier League bidding war could unfold if his form continues. For now, Batrakov will aim to build on his bright start in Istanbul while Europe's elite watch on.