Dortmund scout £23m Arsenal target who could replace Jude Bellingham

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Borussia Dortmund reportedly sent scouts to watch Feyenoord playmaker and Arsenal target Orkun Kokcu, with the midfielder potentially being viewed as a replacement for Jude Bellingham in 2023.

According to 1908, the Bundesliga giants, along with Olympique Lyonnais, had scouts in attendance this week for Feyenoord’s UEFA Europa League clash against FC Midtjylland, with Kokcu impressing for Feyenoord once again this season as the Rotterdam-based side sit fourth in the Eredivisie.

Arsenal have long been linked with a move for Kokcu, with the Daily Mail reporting that a £23m deal was once on the cards. However, the transfer fell through as the north London club eventually missed out on the 21-year-old maestro, who is now seemingly on Dortmund’s radar.

With Bellingham set to leave Germany next summer for the Premier League as interest from the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool heats up, a replacement will be needed at Dortmund in 2023, and reports of the club scouting Kokcu seems to suggest that the Feyenoord star might be the player to slot in for the England teenager.

Indeed, as per the report, Dortmund have also sent scouts to watch Kokcu during other parts of the season, and this intense screening of the Feyenoord star could mean that Arsenal might soon miss out on the Turkish international should the German side move for the midfielder in 2023.

Although the Gunners’ interest in Kokcu has cooled in recent months, there’s no denying that the midfielder would be quite the addition to Mikel Arteta’s side, especially with the likes of Granit Xhaka hitting the peaks of their career this season.

Dortmund scouting Kokcu should be a warning for Arsenal

Arsenal’s midfield, when fully-fit, is one of the most cohesive units in the Premier League, yet there’s no denying that when it comes to options beyond Xhaka, Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey, the Gunners lack the real quality to deal with either of the trio being absent, which is why Kokcu would be such a good signing.

However, with Dortmund now scouting the midfielder, there’s a good chance that Kokcu could be Bundesliga-bound if his form continues to impress, and the midfielder moving to Germany would be quite the blow for Arsenal and their long-term transfer ambitions.