Liverpool travel to Asia later this month for a pre-season tour ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
The reigning champions are currently favourites to win the title once again next season, but first they will face AC Milan and Yokohama F. Marinos during their tour of the far east.
Arne Slot’s side have already been busy in the transfer market so far this summer, adding Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz to the Dutchman’s squad.
Now, it has emerged that the Reds are in pole position to land a talent midfielder.
According to CaughtOffside, the Merseyside giants are leading the race to sign Benfica’s Orkun Kokcu.
The report claims that Liverpool’s Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have also shown interest in the midfielder, while Italian side Inter Milan are also credited with an interest.
Kokcu has attracted interest from several of Europe’s top clubs (Photo: SPP Sport Press Photo/Alamy)
The 24-year-old, however, is said to prefer the idea of a move to Anfield, meaning Liverpool are currently best-placed to land the player this summer.
Kokcu joined Turkish giants Benfica from Dutch side Feyenoord in 2023, having previously worked under Slot during his time in Rotterdam.
Since moving to Lisbon, the Turkey international has played 98 times across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and providing 22 assists.
He is under contract until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, but it appears increasingly likely that he could depart his current club this summer.
The report suggests that Benfica could be willing to accept an offer in the region of £34.5 million for the Turkish midfielder.
As well as some of Europe’s top clubs, Turkish giants Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas are all also said to be monitoring the midfielder’s situation, however the report suggests that a return to his homeland is a less likely possibility for the player at present.