Arsenal set to hold talks to sign attacker previously lauded by Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk - Reports

Arsenal are reportedly preparing to hold talks regarding the signing of Baris Alper Yilmaz, who Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has praised in the past. Notably, the Reds defender faced Yilmaz when the Netherlands faced Turkey in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

The 24-year-old forward couldn't do enough to lead the Turks to a win against their opponents, but his performance certainly impressed Van Dijk. After winning the game 2-1, the defender said about Yilmaz (via TBR Football):

“Baris Alper Yilmaz was running constantly. He was running elusive. It was difficult for every defender. He made it very hard for us. He couldn’t score a goal though. If we were to describe him in any way, he is a really important player.”

The Liverpool captain isn't the only one who sees him as "important", with Arsenal reportedly making plans to sign the forward. According to a report from Turkish outlet Sabah (via TBR Football), the Gunners are already having conversations with his agent.

They are expected to pay his club Galatasaray around £25 million to get his services this summer. However, the north London giants aren't alone in the race to sign him, as they have to contend with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Yilmaz, who had 13 goal contributions in 37 league games for the Turkish club, will be hoping he can make the switch this summer.

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Former Liverpool man makes prediction about Arsenal ahead of Premier League season

If Baris Yilmaz does join the Gunners, he will be part of a team that looks set to potentially end the season near the very top of the Premier League. Former striker Michael Owen has made a prediction about where Arsenal could potentially end up when the upcoming season has ended.

Owen included the Gunners in his prediction for the top three clubs while having a conversation with Prime Casino (via Liverpool.com):

"Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool but I don’t think there is a standout for fourth. I don’t fancy Manchester United, Chelsea might be back to square one with a new manager, it might be Tottenham or even Aston Villa again."

He also spoke about Manchester City, who he has predicted will win a fifth consecutive title, saying:

"It’s impossible to say if Pep would have won less with Sir Alex Ferguson around, obviously it would’ve given him more competition than he has at the moment, but Manchester City have taken the game to a new level."

With the Cityzens still running the town, clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool will have to be at their best to win the title.