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Football London
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Robert Warlow & Joe Doyle

Who is Orkun Kokcu? The £23m-rated Mesut Ozil successor on Arsenal and Mikel Arteta's radar

Arsenal continue to be linked with a move for Feyenoord wonderkid Orku Kokcu as Mikel Arteta looks for midfield reinforcements ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Last month it was reported that the Gunners were eyeing a potential £23million transfer this summer.

The 19-year-old, who could be viewed as Mesut Ozil's long-term successor, has been attracting interest from across Europe, with a contract that expires in 2023.

The Daily Mail report claimed that the Gunners have opened talks about a potential move for the teenager, with technical director Edu identifying him as a priority signing for the summer.

At the time of the report, Arsenal were said to be keen to tie up a move before Euro 2020, with Kokcu set to take part for Turkey, but the tournament has since been pushed back by 12 months.

But who is Kokcu and why is he a target for the north London outfit? We profile the teenager below. 

Who is Orkun Kokcu?

He was born in Haarlem in Holland in late December in 2000.

Orkun Kokcu, who is of Turkish descent and has an older brother Ozan who currently plays for Giresunspor, has spent his football career so far in the Netherlands, being a youth product of FC Groningen, before joining the Feyenoord youth academy in 2014.

At the age of 17, he made his debut for Feyenoord in a Dutch cup clash with VV Gemert, scoring a goal in a 4-0 win in September 2018.

In December 2018, he made his league debut in the Eredivisie, with Kokcu contributing a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win.

How has he fared since then?

His performance off the bench on his league debut earned him a start in the next game, although Feyenoord lost out 2-0 at home against Fortuna Sittard.

His next start came against Vitesse Arnhem in March, with Kokcu netting his second league goal for the club in a 1-1 draw.

Overall, in the 2018/19 season, Kokcu played 11 times for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, scoring three goals, with his third goal coming in a 4-1 victory away from home against Fortuna Sittard.

This season, he has established himself as a regular in the Feyenoord side, featuring 35 times in all competitions, scoring three goals and weighing in with six assists.

That has included games in the Eredivisie and the Europa League, with Kokcu's performances attracting attention from elsewhere.

Has he played at international level?

Kokcu was a youth international for the Netherlands, representing Holland at U18 and U19 level.

But in July last year, he announced his intention to play for the Turkish national team, with Kokcu playing twice at U21 level for Turkey since then.

That includes representing Turkey in a 3-2 defeat against England in a European U21 Championship qualifier last September.

He is yet to be capped at senior level.

Who is interested in him?

Arsenal are one of a number of clubs monitoring Kokcu's development in Holland.

The Mirror reports that Arsenal have scouted Kokcu extensively over recent months, with the Turkish U21 international on the radar for the Gunners ahead of the summer transfer window.

Kokcu is also reportedly interesting clubs from across Europe, with a number of Spanish sides tracking his progress.

But it has been reported that Arsenal are looking at trying to sort a deal ahead of the European Championships this summer, with the 19-year-old expected to be included in Turkey's squad and the Gunners fearing that could spark further interest in the teenager.

 
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