Cocu was the manager of Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce when Kadioglu arrived in Turkey – now they could be reunited in the Championship at Pride Park.
Derby County are interested in reuniting Phillip Cocu with his former Fenerbahce midfielder Ferdi Kadioglu next month, according to Fotospor.
A Dutch U21 international, the stylish playmaker became one of Cocu’s first signings when he joined the Turkish giants in the summer of 2018, swapping NEC Nijmegen for Istanbul.
Kadioglu didn’t feature in a single league game during his debut season at Fenerbahce but he is certainly making up for lost time now. The 20-year-old already has two goals and one assist to his name in 2019/20.
And, according to reports on the continent, Kadioglu could be rewarded for his impressive form with the chance to work a Barcelona legend for a second time on English shores.
“Ferdi, such a young, talented and very high potential player,” Cocu told Birgun when he first locked eyes on the versatile attacker a year-and-a-half ago.
Questions will be asked about what sort of a role Kadioglu would have in the Dutchman’s Derby County team, however. The Rams are not exactly lacking in attacking midfielders and Wayne Rooney is still yet to make his mark with the Rams.
Either way, links with Kadioglu will cast further doubt on the future of Kieran Dowell, who has struggled to make an impact since arriving on loan from Everton.
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