Arsenal are reportedly in pole position to secure the services of Orkun Kokcu ahead of Chelsea in a £23 million deal this summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal are the favourites to land Orkun Kokcu in a £23 million deal in the summer transfer window. The 19-year-old Feyenoord midfielder has also been the subject of interest from Premier League heavyweights Chelsea.
Kokcu is a player who has come leaps and bounds since joining Feyenoord from Groningen in 2014. After breaking into the Dutch giants’ first-team setup last season, he has established himself as a regular face in the side this term.
The 19-year-old midfielder has made 35 appearances in all competitions, with 3 goals and 5 assists to show for his efforts. A player who stands out for his vision and exemplary control on the ball, he is slowly starting to attract the best of clubs in Europe. Among the suitors, though, Arsenal are said to be leading the race to sign Kokcu.
Arsenal are in a transitional phase under Mikel Arteta, who will need to bolster just about every department in his squad in the coming transfer window. As far as midfield is concerned, the report suggests that Mesut Ozil’s time at the Emirates might well be up.
The German playmaker has not had the best of times in recent years and Arteta is ready to look past him. In addition, Dani Ceballos might not join Arsenal on a permanent deal, with his €50 million valuation likely to be restrictive for the Gunners.
In such a scenario, a move for Kokcu, who is quite similar to Ceballos in terms of passing abilities and control on the ball, makes sense for Arsenal. The north Londoners were initially challenged by Sevilla for the signature of the 19-year-old.
In recent weeks, interest from Chelsea had emerged, while the likes of Valencia, Real Betis, AS Roma and Atalanta have also been named as suitors. However, Mundo Deportivo claim that Arsenal are in pole position to sign Kokcu, with the Gunners ready to pay up to £23 million for his services.
The money that Arsenal are prepared to offer could be enough to sign the 19-year-old too, with The Sun suggesting Feyenoord might even be happy with £20 million following the adverse effects that the coronavirus crisis has had on their finances – like many other clubs. For Arsenal, an economical £23 million deal for Kokcu would be ideal as well and it remains to be seen if they can land him.
