Besiktas will let Mohamed Elneny return to Arsenal this summer, choosing to pursue Mehmet Topal instead of extending Elneny’s loan.

Speaking on Tivibu Spor, Turkish reporter Erkut Ozturk claimed Besiktas have now decided they won’t renew Mohamed Elneny on another loan deal. Instead, the player will return to Arsenal.

Besiktas are chasing 34-year-old defensive midfielder Mehmet Topal. Manager Sergen Yalcin has already met with the player, whose contract expires this summer. Basaksehir have a one-year extension option, but Topal is still very attainable.

Perhaps a lot more so than Elneny. The midfielder has a contract with Arsenal until 2022, and the Premier League club are obviously going to ask for a higher transfer fee than a Turkish league club.

Elneny’s wage demands are also likely to be higher given his age and his previous club.

Even so, it’s hard to know who to believe in this saga. The situation goes back and forth every few days, with the latest comments from the Besiktas club president suggesting they want to keep him. We’ll only know for sure at the end of the season.

In the meantime, there’s still some football to play. Besiktas have three games remaining this season and are pushing for a third-placed finish and Europa League football.