Arne Slot Sends Transfer Plea to Richard Hughes Over Player Who Scored in Front of Liverpool Scouts Last Week
Arne Slot has urged Richard Hughes to bring in a European playmaker for Liverpool.
Although the Reds have had an excellent start to the season under the new head coach, concerns about squad depth may arise as the season advances, especially with Alisson Becker’s hamstring injury and the lingering worries surrounding Alexis Mac Allister.
The Dutch manager is keen to strengthen the team while they’re in a strong position, and he has specifically recommended one player for the sporting director to focus on before the upcoming transfer window.
According to a report from Portuguese outlet Record, Arne Slot has urged Liverpool’s management to make every effort to secure the signing of Orkun Kokcu in the January transfer window.
The 46-year-old manager previously collaborated with Kokcu while they were both at Feyenoord, prior to the midfielder’s €25m (£20.9m) transfer to Benfica in June 2023. Kokcu’s name has now reportedly emerged as a potential target for Liverpool.
The report also mentions that a Liverpool scouting team was present at the Estadio da Luz last week to observe Kokcu’s performance during Benfica’s 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, where the 23-year-old scored one of the goals.
Despite Liverpool’s interest, Benfica will only consider selling Kokcu if they can secure a significant profit. The Portuguese club have placed an €80m (£66.9m) price tag on the Turkish international, who also has a €150m (£125.5m) release clause in his contract. These financial demands are believed to pose a challenge to Liverpool’s pursuit of the player.
Kokcu has had an outstanding start to the season for Benfica, registering four goals and three assists in just nine appearances across all competitions. He only needs three more goals to equal his total from last season (Transfermarkt).
His advanced statistics are equally impressive. FBref data shows that over the past year, Kokcu ranks within the top 3% of midfielders outside Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals, non-penalty expected goals (xG), shots, assists, and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes.
These numbers indicate that Kokcu is highly effective in the attacking third and could add even more firepower to Liverpool’s offense, not only by scoring but also by providing key chances for the forwards.
While it’s not always guaranteed that players will succeed when reuniting with former coaches—as seen with Erik ten Hag’s experience with ex-Ajax players at Manchester United—Slot seems confident that Kokcu would be a valuable asset for Liverpool.
Although Hughes’ first transfer window as Liverpool’s sporting director was relatively low-key, could a bold move for Kokcu be on the horizon in January? The head coach seems to have made his preference clear.
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