"A footballer worthy of Europe" - Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan would like to see Arsenal target come to England

Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan is excited at the possibility of Arsenal signing exciting Turkish prospect Keren Akturkoglu.

Akturkoglu has enjoyed a fabulous campaign for Galatsaray, bagging 11 goals and 10 assists. These performances and his £17 million price tag have seen the 23-year-old draw the attention of some of the finest teams in Europe.

Gundogan, who is of Turkish origin, is a big fan of the player and hopes Arsenal follow through in their bid to sign Akturkoglu. Speaking to Tivibu Sport (via HITC), the Germany international said:

“I’ve been following Galatasaray more in recent weeks. Kerem Akturkoglu is a footballer worthy of Europe. Like Caglar (Soyuncu, of Leicester City), I would like to see him move one step forward in Germany. And then to England. We would like to see Kerem play for the big teams of Europe.”

Galatasaray recently rejected Wolfsburg's £12 million bid for Akturkoglu. The cash-strapped Turkish club could let him go for £17 million, though.

The Gunners have enjoyed a resurgent season so far and sit within touching distance of UEFA Champions League football after a five-year absence. Their reported move for the 23-year-old (as per CNN Turk) in the summer could provide them with a cheap and reliable way to bolster their options up front.

They could face competition for his signature from their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, though.

The race for his signature could be decided based on who secures UEFA Champions League football next season. Spurs are fourth in the standings, ahead of the Gunners, who have a game in hand, on goal difference.

Atletico Madrid and Lyon are also in the fray for the player.

Arsenal and Liverpool scouts set to watch Turkish wonderkid this weekend - Reports

It is believed hat 17-year-old Arda Guler could be the next big player in the sport, so scouts from top clubs in the Premier League have their eyes on him. That is according to Fanatik (via Sport Witness) who claim that Liverpool and Arsenal are looking to secure the youngster's signature.

Representatives from the two clubs, as well as Bayern Munich, will reportedly watch Guler play against Galatasaray this Sunday. The youngster has already made 12 first-team appearances for Fernabache this season, and scouts from the European juggernauts hope to catch him in action.

There is no information on how much Guler could cost, as his suitors are currently content with watching him develop.