Mohamed Elneny has flown to Turkey and will undergo a medical today (Saturday) ahead of a season-long loan move to Besiktas according to Milliyet.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 20: Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)

The Arsenal midfielder will move for the rest of the season but will still have two years left on his Arsenal contract when his loan expires.

The player posted a picture of himself on a Turkish airline flight on Friday so we can assume he’s already in the country:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1yzKAiAvHn/

Turkish-football, meanwhile, report Besiktas Sporting Director, Ali Naibi, as saying, “We have reached an agreement with Arsenal over the transfer of Mohamed Elneny.

“He will undergo his medical next, if he passes we will add him to our squad on a loan transfer.”

Elneny arrived at Arsenal in January 2016 when he was signed by Arsene Wenger from FC Basel for £11.25m.

He landed as a relatively unknown player and will leave on loan with his reputation somewhat enhanced by virtue of being an Arsenal player but it’s hard to think of anything spectacular he has done during his time at the club apart from that goal against Barcelona:

A seven-out-of-ten player, he rarely under or overwhelmed during his 89 appearances for the club. In total, he scored two goals with eight assists while averaging around 60 minutes per appearance. Under Unai Emery, he played 17 times but got the full 90 just five times (Vorskla, Qarabag, Vorskla, Qarabag, Burnley).

I don’t mean all this to sound so harsh on the Egyptian. He seems like a thoroughly lovely bloke but he is an average player whose space in the squad I’d rather see go to a talented youngster from the Academy.

His departure, even though it is temporary at present, will also free up the number four shirt which never should have been given to him in the first place.