Liverpool have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Orkun Kokcu, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that the Benfica midfielder has changed his mind over a potential move to Anfield, as Tottenham Hotspur also learn the fate of his decision.
Kokcu worked with Liverpool manager Arne Slot at Feyenoord and was hugely successful during his time at the Dutch club. The 24-year-old Turkey international midfielder won the Eredivisie title in the 2022/23 campaign and had Slot as his manager at Feyenoord at the time.
The midfielder, who scored 32 goals and gave 26 assists in 175 appearances for Feyenoord, joined Benfica in the summer of 2023 and won Taca da Liga with the Portuguese giants in the 2024/25 campaign.
Slot has been keeping a close eye on Kokcu, with CaughtOffSide reporting this week that Liverpool are keen on a summer deal for the midfielder.
The report noted that despite Manchester United’s interest, the 24-year-old’s ‘strong preference’ would be to join Liverpool.
GiveMeSport reported this week that Kokcu wants to join a Premier League club, with Liverpool manager Slot ‘weighing up whether to seal a reunion after initially managing him at Feyenoord’.
The report claimed that Liverpool sent scouts to watch the midfielder in the second half of last season, with Benfica looking for £35million (€40m, $47.6m) to sell him this summer.
‘Kokcu is open to completing a move to Liverpool due to a desire to test himself in the Premier League, according to GMS sources, and he is determined to discover how serious the Merseyside heavyweights are about acquiring his services before making a final call on his future’, the report stated.
However, there has been a sudden change in Kokcu’s stance, with the Turkey international midfielder deciding to join Besiktas.
Trusted journalist Romano has written on X: “Orkun Kökçü has informed Benfica of his desire: he wants to join Besiktas.
“Negotiations starting between Besiktas and Benfica as clubs already discussed details of the move. Kökçü to Besiktas, getting closer.”
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Tottenham Hotspur also suffer Orkun Kokcu blow
GiveMeSport has backed CaughtOffSide’s claim that Tottenham have Kokcu on their radar as well.
‘Tottenham have pinpointed Kokcu as a fresh potential acquisition after taking note of his availability since missing out on earlier summer targets’, claims the report.
GMS adds that Kokcu was ‘refusing to rule out the possibility’ of a move to Tottenham, who will play in the Champions League next season after winning the Europa League in the 2024/25 campaign.
However, just like Liverpool, Tottenham will be bitterly disappointed and shocked that Kokcu has suddenly decided to move to Benfica.
Who is Orkun Kokcu?
By Samuel Bannister
Kokcu emerged from the Feyenoord academy and was given his debut at the age of 17 by Giovanni van Bronckhorst. But it was under Arne Slot that he really took major strides to becoming a key player between 2021 and 2023.
By the time Slot was appointed by Feyenoord, Kokcu had 78 appearances under his belt for the first team. In their first season together, Slot gave Kokcu 51 appearances and saw him score nine goals – both career-best tallies up to that point, aided by Feyenoord’s run to the Europa Conference League final where they were beaten by Roma.
Kokcu’s goal tally reached double figures for the first time the following season with 12, after which he departed for Benfica in what was seen as a slightly surprising move at the time.
Two years on and with 19 goals from 98 games for Benfica under his belt, Kokcu is in contention to take the next step of his career.
A box-to-box midfielder who can dart about aggressively when pressing, Kokcu also has good end product with his finishing and chance creation.
In the 2024-25 Primeira Liga, he ranked in the 99th percentile of midfielders for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes with a quite breathtaking 5.06. He also ranked in the 99th percentile for progressive passes with 10.56 per 90 minutes and the 92nd percentile for progressive carries with 2.22 per 90 minutes.
Confident with both feet, Kokcu is best when getting forward but mainly operated as a no.8 last season; he can do most of what you’d want from a midfielder.
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Orkun Kokcu's time under Arne Slot at Feyenoord