Tottenham News Scout: Orkun Kokcu requires patience to shine at Tottenham if he arrives from Feyenoord
Tottenham are not only looking to snare Arne Slot away from Feyenoord in the coming days but they are also reportedly hot on the heels of the Dutch club’s captain Orkun Kokcu.
The central midfielder has been a real driving force behind Slot’s success at De Kuip this season.
Despite only celebrating his 22nd birthday at the back end of last year, Kokcu lifted the Eredivisie trophy as the Feyenoord captain on 14 May.
After such an impressive season for Feyenoord, it’s no surprise to see Slot’s name being linked with the managerial vacancy at Tottenham.
And it’s also unsurprising to see that Turkey international Kokcu could also be on his way to North London.
Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant reported on 22 May that Spurs are going to make an offer for both Slot to be their new manager and also for Kokcu to join them this summer.
Journalist Bert Wagendorp wrote that Kokcu is Slot’s “star player” and a move for both the manager and the midfielder would cost “tens of millions” of Euros.
Here, the Spurs Scout takes an in-depth look at Kokcu and what his arrival at Tottenham would mean.
Superpower – Leadership
It’s not very often you see a captain as young as 22 leading a team to a league title. But Kokcu’s done exactly that this season with Feyenoord.
Jens Toornstra had been Feyenoord’s captain but after he left last summer, Slot opted to promote Kokcu to captain.
Speaking to the media about the decision in September, Slot was quoted by FR12 as saying that his decision was based on Kokcu’s previous performances at De Kuip and also the fact that he’s a product of Feyenoord’s academy.
“Last year he had a very good season and played most matches in Feyenoord,” said Slot. “He is his own player, there is a lot to do that we have so many foreigners. Our captain is a player trained by Feyenoord.
“Kokcu has chosen to stay with Feyenoord to develop even more. The extra responsibility should help with that.
“I also think that it can be very good for his development to take the next step.
“He has been a very decisive player in the previous season, hence the choice.”
Weakness – Wants to be main man
Kokcu’s has been on the receiving end of some pretty fierce criticism in recent years with former Netherlands and Tottenham star Rafael van der Vaart being especially critical of the Dutch-born Turkey star.
Speaking on Studio Voetbal in December 2021, as quoted by Voetbal International, van der Vaart took aim at Kokcu. He said: “I think Kokcu thinks he is much better than he really is.
“I think he’s a good player but he has so much sloppiness.
“He really feels like the man there (at Feyenoord).
“I think it’s a shame because I do believe in his qualities. I see it with (Ajax’s) Ryan Gravenberch too. They kind of start to believe that they are already there (they’ve made it).
“But they should just play simple, then they can become very good players.”
Kokcu’s very clearly shown incredible character to prove van der Vaart wrong by becoming one of the best players in the Eredivisie and leading his team to a league title.
Van der Vaart’s not the only one who’s had Kokcu in his cross-hairs as Theo Janssen, previously of Vitesse, Twente and Ajax, has been quoted by HITC as saying: “It is Kokcu’s quality to play simple and speed up the game. But as soon as he starts running with the ball, it almost always goes wrong.
“He just has to play simple and then he really has value.”
Kokcu’s confidence in his own ability is a good thing but he doesn’t want to tread into the realms of arrogance.
If he was to move to the Premier League from the Eredivisie, he’ll need to stay grounded because many players have made a similar switch before him and struggled to make an impact on these shores.
How much will he cost?
Kokcu wouldn’t come cheap – and understandably so.
Although he’s not quite the finished article, he’s a player with a lot of potential and Feyenoord’s qualification to the group stages of the Champions League puts them in a strong position financially.
On 10 February, talkSPORT reported that Kokcu is valued at £50million by Feyenoord but obviously that was before they won the title and before the Turkish ace had become a league-winning captain.
Would Daniel Levy loosen the purse strings to sign Kocku for Slot after he did so well for him at De Kuip this season? You’d like to think he would.
Where does Kokcu fit in at Spurs?
If there’s one takeaway from this season, it’s that there’s a lot of room for improvement in this Tottenham squad.
Spurs’ midfield does boast some decent options in Rodrigo Bentancur, who’s unfortunately been injured since February with a cruciate ligament rupture, and Pierre-Emile Hojberg.
Oliver Skipp and Yves Bissouma haven’t set the place alight this season though so there’s definitely the need for a player like Kokcu in the middle of the Tottenham XI.
According to transfermarkt, Slot has played a defensive version of a 4-3-3 in most Eredivisie matches this season.
In the 3-2 win away at Ajax on 19 March, Slot played with Kokcku in a deeper-lying midfield role alongside Mats Wieffer and behind Polish attacker Sebastian Szymanski.
Unless Slot was to change things up at Tottenham, it’s hard to see how Kokcu would start in a similar formation if Bentancur and Hojberg are both available.
Spurs’ front-three would no doubt be Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevksi – if they are all still at the club next season – but who would be in that number 10 role behind Kane?
It doesn’t suit the naturally deeper-lying Kokcu, who likes to sit back and see the play in front of him before passing out the ball or even having a shot at goal from a distance.
Should Spurs buy him?
If Spurs are hiring Slot then it would make a lot of sense for them to also sign Kokcu – if the Dutchman wants him to join him in North London.
It would no doubt cost a lot of money but Kokcu is young, hungry, full of talent and has the character to be a star for Spurs for years to come if he continues on the same trajectory he’s on in the Netherlands.
He would need to understand that he’s not guaranteed to be a hit in England and it may take a season or two for him to settle in at Tottenham if he’s playing second fiddle to Hojberg and Bentacur.
Patience could be key with Kokcku if he comes in.
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of that at Tottenham these days.
In other Tottenham news, Paul Robinson wants his former club to interview Vincent Kompany to be the next manager.