Bursaspor snapped up the talented attacking midfielder despite links with both Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.
Teenage Feyenoord striker Ozancan Kokcu may not have been the player Everton and Tottenham Hotspur fans were clamouring for to take their clubs to the next level.
Yet, according to the Daily Mail, the 18-year-old was a primary summer target for both Ronald Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino with his contract running down at the Eredivisie giants.
Both managers, after all, have earned a deserved reputation for developing youth. Koeman has helped bring through the likes of Tom Davies and Mason Holgate at Everton while Harry Kane, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker, Eric Dier and Dele Alli all owe their progression into international class players to Pochettino’s trust.
Therefore, both Everton and Spurs will have been disappointed to learn that Kokcu has instead inked a four-year deal with Bursaspor, joining the club that helped striking sensation Enes Unal earn a move to Manchester City, as reported by Turkish Football.
It’s fair to say that the attacking would not have had an easy task attempting to force his way into the first-team at either White Hart Lane or Goodison Park – suggesting a move to a lesser European league is a better way to help him realise his potential.
Yet, you wonder whether, somewhere down the line, Spurs and Everton may regret their failing to snap Kokcu up for a minimal compensation fee – especially if his value skyrockets in the years to come.
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