Bayer Leverkusen’s Turkish midfielder, Hakan Calhanoglu, has been linked with a move to Arsenal, but can he bring something to separate him from the rest of the players in his position?
Hakan Calhanoglu has been linked with a move to the Premier League as Chelsea and Arsenal have shown great interest in the player, Italian side Lazio are also reported to hold an interest.
Calhanoglu is tied to Bayer until 2019 and has a £32.5m release clause in his contract and the price wouldn’t represent any problem for the Premier League duo.
The Turkey international made 22 appearances for Leverkusen last season, scoring seven and assisting seven in the process.
Strengths
The 23-year-old is a very versatile midfielder who can be deployed almost anywhere in midfield or attack, from left wing to right, from central to attacking midfielder, even as a second striker. His tactical understanding of each role on the pitch is remarkable and there aren’t many players like him.
His powerful and precise shots are one of his main assests, as the player often tests the opposing goalkeeper with efforts from range. His set-piece skills are also great and he can deliver the ball very precisely to any part of the pitch.
Calhanoglu also has an eye for setting up his teammates as the player made 29 chances and 24 key passes in 15 Bundesliga appearances. Unfortunately, only five of those chances were converted.
His ability to dribble and hold onto the ball is also strong as the player moves past hiss opponents with ease.
Next, Calhanoglu’s weaknesses