LIVE
...

Follow us on

Soccer News

Report: Arsenal expected to bid for Orkun Kokcu within weeks

Orkun Kokcu of Feyenoord during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Vitesse v Feyenoord at the GelreDome on March 10, 2019 in Arnhem Netherlands (...
Follow us on Google Discover

According to Voetbal International, Arsenal are expected to firm up their interest in Feyenoord playmaker Orkun Kokcu over the coming weeks.

It’s claimed that Arsenal have been working on a deal for a ‘long time’. The move is described as being ‘slowly prepared’ with no bid on the table yet.

The report adds that a bid likely won’t come this week either, but Arsenal will ‘come up with something’ in the coming weeks.

The issue for the Gunners is that Sevilla are in a similar boat, and have been similarly biding their time to make their move for Kokcu.

Feyenoord allegedly need to sell Kokcu in order to fund their own summer business, but Arsenal may be playing the long game in order to drive the price down.

The Daily Mail reported back in March that the fee was £23million, with Edu pursuing a deal early out of fear that he would star at Euro 2020.

Orkun Kokcu of Feyenoord during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Feyenoord v SC Heerenveen at the Stadium Feijenoord on January 18, 2020 in Rotterdam Netherlands (Soccrates Images/Getty Images)

Of course, things have changed since then. The global pandemic has postponed Euro 2020, and finances have been impacted across the globe.

Arsenal will therefore want to drive the price down and save some money, dragging the move out in the hope that Feyenoord become desperate for cash.

The 19-year-old has hit three goals and six assists this season, and could be Mesut Ozil’s heir as a number 10. Arsenal won’t want to miss out, but are seemingly playing a game of brinkmanship.

ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 5: Orkun Kokcu of Feyenoord  during the Dutch KNVB Beker  match between Feyenoord v NAC Breda at the Stadium Feijenoord on March 5, 2020 in Rotterdam Netherlands (Photo by Geert van Erven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Photo by Geert van Erven/Soccrates/Getty Images