Fulham have now soared into the race to sign a 58-cap international, who can play in five positions, with his current club struggling to tie him down to a new contract.
Cottagers looking to sign "the perfect player" this summer
The Cottagers had been on a poor run of form in the Premier League, losing three games in a row, but they bounced back with a victory at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, which keeps Marco Silva's side in the race for Europe.
The hope will be that qualifying for either the UEFA Conference League or Europa League will convince Silva to stay, with the manager's current deal set to expire in the summer, and a number of first-team stars could also be out the door.
The west Londoners are yet to extend Ryan Sessegnon's contract, which is due to expire at the end of the season, while Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson are also currently set to depart.
Replacing Wilson could be a particularly difficult task, given just how impressive the Welshman has been this season, chipping in with nine goals and six assists across 31 matches in all competitions.
Fulham may need to bring in a new winger in the summer, but they have also soared into the race for a versatile defender, according to a report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), which credits them with an interest in AS Roma star Zeki Celik.
Roma have struggled to tie Celik down to a new contract, which could open the door for a move to Craven Cottage this summer, but there may be competition for his signature, with Premier League rivals Newcastle United also named as potential suitors.
zeki-celik-as-roma
The 29-year-old would be a versatile option for Silva, given that he is capable of playing in five positions, namely right-back, centre-back, left-back, right-midfield and left-midfield.
Celik could be "perfect" addition to Silva's squad
The Roma ace would arrive at Craven Cottage with a wealth of experience at a high level, having picked up 58 caps for national side Turkey, while also making 41 appearances in the Europa League and 13 in the Champions League.
Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella is particularly fond of the versatile defender, saying: "He’s the perfect player for any coach.
"Celik is professional, reliable, does his job wherever you play him. In a locker room it is always needed to have guys like him."
The Bursa-born defender is averaging 1.9 tackles per 90 in the Serie A this season, the joint-second highest number in the Roma squad, while he also displayed his attacking quality in a solid all-round performance against Cagliari earlier this month.
Zeki Celik's key stats vs Cagliari Numer completed
Assists 1
Key passes 2
Long balls (accurate) 3 (3)
Defensive actions 4
Celik could be a solid addition to Fulham's backline, but defence is not the only area in which they are looking to strengthen...
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The Cottagers have set their sights on a striker.