Liverpool are one of the clubs keeping a close eye on Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu.
That’s according to Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan. Speaking on the De Telegraaf podcast ‘Kick-off’ via Soccer News, Van der Kraan claimed that the Turkey international is attracting a lot of Premier League interest.
“I think a lot of clubs are after Orkun Kokcu,” said the journalist. “There were already a number of clubs – Leicester City, Brighton and a number of other clubs like that from that region. Aston Villa have joined them.”
Having already caught the attention of these middling Premier League clubs, Van der Kraan says Kokcu is now being watched by ‘bigger’ sides, including Liverpool.
“I think more and more top clubs are looking at him now,” he explained. “In recent weeks the stands have been full of scouts, including from the top six of the Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Liverpool; Everyone had scouts there. The fight is going to be very interesting and that would also mean that it is going to be very difficult to keep him.”
Kuyt backs Kokcu for big move
Still only twenty-two, Kokcu is now into his fourth full season as a first team regular at De Kuip. Having joined Feyenoord as a 14-year-old, the Dutch-born Turk has risen through the ranks to become club captain.
With the Rotterdammers set to lift the Eredivisie title this year, it now looks like the perfect time for Kokcu to make the next step in his career.
One man who certainly seems to think so is former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt. Kuyt was the last man to lift the title as Feyenoord captain, doing so back in 2017. And as it turns out, the 42-year-old actually knows Orkun pretty well.
“I am a Feyenoord man and they are doing very well at the moment,” Kuyt told the Liverpool Echo earlier this month. “They have a very good manager in Arne Slot and some of the younger guys like Orkun Kokcu and Lutsharel Geertruida are knocking on the door and playing very well. It won’t take long for the interest of top European teams to be there for them. I hope Liverpool is interested in Feyenoord players, and I am an example it can work!
“When I was working as under-19s coach, Kokcu and Geertruida were in my team at the time,” he continued. “You know who the talented players are and you can see they are going to have big futures.”
In Kokcu’s case that looks almost certain to become true. Having put up 10 goal contributions in 28 games this season, he may cost more than the £23m price-tag that was mooted for him several years back. How much more may depend on whether Liverpool take their watching brief further this summer.
If it’s to Liverpool or elsewhere, it sounds like Kokcu is set to land in the Premier League soon.