LISBON, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 2: Orkun Kokcu of SL Benfica celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between SL Benfica and Atletico de Madrid at Estadio da Luz on October 2, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Manchester United under Ruben Amorim have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks and a couple of months as they need to find a solution to bolster the squad, but at the same time, move on players who the Portuguese tactician doesn’t count on.
While most of the links so far have been for attacking players, with the club even wrapping up the signing of Brazilian star Matheus Cunha, but there are other areas of the pitch that need reinforcements as well, like the midfield.
In their bid for a midfielder, as per [Caught Offside](https://www.caughtoffside.com/2025/07/05/liverpool-transfer-orkun-kokcu/), Man Utd have suffered a blow in their pursuit of talented Turkish midfielder Orkun Kokcu, with the Benfica player keen on securing a move to Premier League rivals Liverpool.
The versatile midfielder can play as a #6, #8 and #10 and can also fill in as an attacker if needed. Tottenham and Inter Milan are other clubs interested in the Turkish international but it looks like the Reds are favorites at the moment.
The report mentions that £34.5m would be sufficient for Benfica to part way with the player. Kokcu was ever-present for the Portuguese side last season, scoring 12 goals and providing 11 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions.
As a profile, Kokcu is very different to the other midfield options that Man Utd have. However, he is exactly the kind of player that Ruben Amorim needs, especially when he wants to play with a system that has only two natural midfielders.
The step up to the Premier League from the Portuguese league might not be an easy one but Kokcu has the quality to make it look seamless. That said, if he doesn’t want to join Man Utd and move elsewhere, there isn’t much the club can do.
It remains to be seen if Man Utd persist with their interest in the 24-year-old or shift their focus elsewhere. The Red Devils don’t have any time to waste this summer and it remains to be seen how they go about it.