The captain of Feyenoord could follow in the footsteps of the Liverpool forward
Liverpool are preparing for a busy summer in the transfer market after a disappointing season, and Jurgen Klopp will be looking for the next generation of success at Anfield.
After sharing the spoils with Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, the Reds now appear unlikely to qualify for Champions League football next season, and will instead compete for the Europa League in Dublin, one of the few trophies the Liverpool manager has yet to win.
Indeed, the Anfield faithful will be under no illusion that the club is about to splash the cash at the levels of fellow top six clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester United, but it will be expected to make much-needed improvements to refresh and revive the squad in order to bring success back to the red side of Merseyside.
Liverpool have been linked with a number of midfielders in recent months, with the club set to part ways with Naby Keita, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer, paving the way for a complete overhaul in the middle of the field.
Feyenoord captain Orkun Kokcu has been linked with a move to the club in recent days, following in the footsteps of Cody Gakpo by swapping the Eredivisie for the Premier League.
Who exactly is Orkun Kokcu?
The Turkish midfielder has been a revelation for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie this season, playing a key role in their title defense.
Kokcu, like Gakpo at PSV Eindhoven, captains his team and could bring his outstanding leadership qualities to Anfield if he continues to dominate in English football.
After leaving the Netherlands for English football, the former has adapted quickly, scoring six goals and registering three assists in 20 Premier League appearances.
The hope is that Kokcu can repeat that performance, but based on his numbers this term, he has a good chance.
Indeed, in 30 Eredivisie appearances, the 22-year-old midfielder – dubbed a “leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has scored eight goals, registered two assists, and created ten big chances while averaging 90.7 touches, 2.8 key passes, and 60.5 accurate passes per game.
Not only that, but Kokcu ranks in the top 4% of his positional peers in the world’s next eight best divisions outside of the ‘big five’ leagues for shot-creating actions, passes attempted, progressive passes, and progressive carries, demonstrating that he is a tremendous attacking talent who could be a huge asset to Klopp and his forwards next season.
According to CIES Football Observatory, Kokcu has a market value of €30 million (£26 million), and if Feyenoord are willing to part ways with their midfielder for a similar transfer fee, it would be far less expensive than pursuing other similar midfield targets like Jude Bellingham, who is reportedly demanding a fee of £130 million, and Mac Allister, who will cost the Reds £70 million.
With that said, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool can strike a good deal for the “hidden gem” – as Charlie Morley calls him – this summer, but if they can secure his services for a fraction of the price of Liverpool’s other top targets, it will allow them to reinvest in other areas of the pitch.
Leave a Reply