The Arne Slot era is about to begin at Liverpool, and the Dutchman seems to have identified his first transfer target already.
Liverpool fans bid an emotional farewell to Jurgen Klopp at Anfield on Sunday. The German got the reception he deserved, and he will forever be a legend of the club.
Now, the focus turns to Slot and what he can do at Liverpool, and one of his first tasks would be to evaluate the squad to see what kind of players he wants to bring in.
Arne Slot wants to make Orkun Kokcu his first Liverpool signing
These are exciting times for Liverpool fans, but it’s also a tad bit scary.
Reds supporters saw what happened at Manchester United and Arsenal after Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger left their respective clubs.
A new manager replacing a club legend will always be difficult, and Arne Slot has that challenge in front of him now – he needs to fill Jurgen Klopp’s massive shoes.
Liverpool fans are looking forward to seeing what Slot can do in his debut season, but before the campaign begins, he’ll have his say on transfers.
The Merseysiders have already been linked with plenty of players, and we’re sure Slot would like to bring in a few of them to bolster his squad.
One such player could be Benfica’s Orkun Kokcu.
The 23-year-old played close to 100 games under Slot at Feyenoord before he left the Netherlands to join The Eagles of Portugal in a £25 million deal (Football Oranje).
Now, Fotospor reveal that Besiktas’ dream of landing Kokcu is in danger because Slot has decided he wants to make the Turk his first signing at Liverpool.
Kokcu only joined Benfica in the summer of 2023, and his contract does not expire until 2028.
Kokcu has been compared to a Real Madrid superstar
Orkun Kokcu’s name is not new for Liverpool fans.
The Reds were heavily linked with a move to sign him in June 2023, just before he left Feyenoord to join Portuguese giants Benfica.
For those who don’t know much about Kokcu, former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko compared him to one of the best midfielders of this generation – Real Madrid star Luka Modric.
When asked who Kokcu plays, like, Sissoko said in March 2022: “I get off balance and answer Modric. For me, he has the same quality of play. He has the potential to reach his level.”
Arne Slot knows Kocku very well, and if he thinks the 23-year-old would be a good fit for Liverpool, Reds fans should trust him.