Arsenal are set to make a bid to complete the signing of Turkish midfielder Orkun Kokcu, according to reports in Dutch outlet Voetbal International.
The 19-year-old plays for Feyenoord in the Dutch league and is of Turkish origin. He made his debut in 2018 and has since gone on to become a reliable player for his team. Though the youngster mainly plays as an attacking midfielder, he can also play a little deeper when called upon.
Voetbal International states that the North London club are expected to make a transfer offer within a few weeks after considering a move for Kokcu ‘for a long time’. Frank Arnesen the technical director of Feyenoord is open to selling the midfielder in order to raise funds to bring in new players.
It further states that Mikel Arteta is backing Arsenal’s push for the youngster, as the Gunners boss had been aware of Kokcu even when he was at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola. He sees Kokcu as a player that will fit into the footballing philosophy he likes to implement on the pitch.
The Emirates club face some competition in the form of Sevilla who are also interested in signing the Turk. Feyenoord would want a fee of around £23m to let go of their star talent.
Jaap Stam, the former Manchester United player who also coached Kokcu at Feyenoord spoke about how the midfielder would do at Arsenal. He told Goal:
“He would need to adjust because the step to Arsenal and the Premier League is totally different when you compare it to Holland. Now he’s proving himself in Holland and is one of the best midfield players in the country. He’s certainly got the ability to make that step to the Premier League.”
This stamp of approval would certainly make fans happy as they would be getting a really exciting talent. The fee of £23m might seem a little high for a 19-year-old but in the long-term, this could be an investment that is worth it.
Kokcu can play in a few different positions and that versatility is something that would have appealed to Arteta as well. And with Feyenoord looking to sell, we could see the Turk end up at the Emirates where he will be given a chance to shine.
