Arsenal flop Elneny joins Besiktas on loan with option for permanent transfer
ARSENAL midfielder Mohamed Elneny has ended his tough spell at the club by signing for Besiktas.
The Turkish club confirmed Elneny's loan deal on Saturday.
Should he impress in Istanbul, the option of a permanent move is on the table.
Unai Emery has never been a fan of the Egyptian, affording him just eight appearances in the Premier League last season.
And the Gunners boss even went as far as recommending Elneny, along with Shkodran Mustafi, leave North London while their careers stagnate.
He said last week: "They are very big players but for one circumstance or another they are going to have fewer chances to show their capacity or to be happy with us and the minutes they play in matches.
"But they know the situation and really I am wishing the best for them. I think now the best for them is to be protagonists in another team and to get another challenge for themselves."
Elneny cost Arsenal just £5million when arriving from Swiss club Basel in January 2016.
An early run in the team gave fans hope he would fill the need for a consistent defensive midfielder but Granit Xhaka was signed the following summer to drop him down the pecking order.
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In total, the 27-year-old made 89 appearances for the Gunners, scoring twice.
Nonetheless, Besiktas fans greeted his arrival with glee on Twitter.
One fan, Adem, even went as far as posting: "Elneny > Kante."
