Report: Manchester City's Unal set to join Villarreal for £12M
Enes Unal, the Turkish wonderkid who was signed by Manchester City in 2015, is reportedly primed for La Liga after shining on loan in the Eredivisie.
According to the Guardian's Emre Sarigul, Unal is set to join Villarreal CF from City for £12 million (approximately €13.7 million) in a deal that includes a buy-back clause in the region of £17.5 million (approximately €20 million). Personal terms are apparently expected to be agreed upon, as the 20-year-old striker is talking to the Yellow Submarine about a four-year contract.
Unai joined City from Bursaspor for a reported fee of £2 million (approximately €2.2 million), and the Turkish club is allegedly set to receive a development fee if the transfer takes place. Meanwhile, the footballer is reportedly unable to secure a work permit to play in England due to the Home Office's regulations - he failed to take the pitch for at least 45 percent of Turkey's games over the last two years, and would otherwise need to apply for a permit using "exceptional talent" criteria.
The hype surrounding Unal was justified last season, as the youngster tallied 18 goals and three assists in the Eredivisie after joining FC Twente on loan.
Other clubs to apparently express interest in Unai are Lille OSC, Valencia, AS Monaco, FC Schalke 04, FC Porto, and Benfica.