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Five Premier League clubs are reportedly tracking Galatasaray midfielder Aleksey Batrakov after his strong start to life in Turkey, according to TeamTalk.
The 21-year-old was a summer target for Paris Saint-Germain, who never made an offer, and now Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City are all said to be admirers.
TeamTalk claims that scouts from Arsenal and Liverpool were present in Lille on Wednesday night to watch Batrakov at close quarters. The Russia international scored, his second goal of the season in the competition, and impressed the representatives of both clubs.
The outlet adds that Arsenal and Liverpool join Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City in the race for the attacking midfielder. Those three clubs are also said to be admirers of the Galatasaray player, who are hoping to keep their summer signing for as long as possible.
Batrakov joined Galatasaray from Lokomotiv Moscow in a deal valued at £24m, a significant investment from the Turkish club. The early signs are encouraging, with two goals and two assists in nine matches so far.
According to TeamTalk, Batrakov has a release clause allowing him to join a club in one of Europe’s four major leagues - England, Italy, Spain or Germany - for €50m (£42.5m). That could make a future transfer easier, as the sum is well within the reach of the five English clubs mentioned.
Paris Saint-Germain were keen on the attacking midfielder in the summer, with sporting adviser Luis Campos having confirmed the club were monitoring him. However, the French club did not table an offer and prioritised other deals, renewing their attack with Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts.
Batrakov did not wait for Paris and chose to move on, and his form in Turkey suggests that decision is paying off.