ACF Fiorentina are reportedly interested in signing Feyenoord midfielder and Arsenal target Orkun Kokcu after failing to meet the Gunners’ demands for Lucas Torreira, with the Uruguayan since moving to Galatasaray.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, La Viola are eyeing up a move for the Turkish international as Fiornetina continue to look for a midfielder to replace Torreira, who this summer the Serie A refused to meet the £12m purchase option Arsenal inserted in the South American’s loan move to Tuscany last summer.
As a result, Torreira was unable to return to Italy and to a club where the midfielder last season become a smash hit with the supporters, with Kokcu now being eyed as a replacement for the 26-year-old, a player Arsenal have been reportedly interested in for some time.
Valued at a reported £23m, Kokcu is regarded by many as one of Feyenoord’s best players and a key member for the Rotterdam giants’ run to the UEFA Conference League final last season, though this summer looks set to be the window where the 21-year-old departs the Netherlands.
With nine goals and nine assists in all competitions last season, Kokcu enjoyed his best year ever at Feyenoord in what was an eventful year for Arnie Slot’s side, and with Fiorentina now interested in signing the midfielder, Arsenal could again fall victim to the Tuscan side in the transfer market this year.
Indeed, Arsenal have already been rolled over by Fiorentina during the whole episode regarding Torreira, and with the Florentine club now interested in Kokcu, there’s a good chance that the Tuscan side could find themselves as a European rival to the Gunners based on their shenanigans this summer.
Fiorentina signing Kokcu would be a massive slap in the face to Arsenal
Whilst Arsenal managed to sell Torreira this summer, the Gunners missed out on a decent payday when Fiorentina refused to meet the midfielder’s asking price at the end of last season, and with rumours that Vincenzo Italiano’s side could now sign Kokcu, it would be a huge slap in the face to the north London side.
After all, Torreira and Arsenal wanted the Fiorentina move to go through only for the Serie A side to seriously lowball their offer, and should the Tuscan club now land Kokcu, it would be an embarrassing off-the-field episode for the Premier League giants.
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