Liverpool Transfer Targets: Reds Eye €80M Signing

The remarkable start to the season by Turkish striker Orkun Kökçü has not gone unnoticed by a major Premier League club, Liverpool. The player is a favourite with Arne Slot, who had the opportunity to coach him at Feyenoord.

Liverpool scouts were in Portugal last week to observe Benfica’s Champions League match against Atlético de Madrid, focusing on the progress of Kökçü according to reports from Record.

The 23-year-old midfielder had a remarkable performance and scored one of the four goals that gave the Lisbon side a comfortable and well-deserved victory against a team from Atlético who had a terrible performance. With the goal against the Madrid side, the midfielder has now scored four goals so far this season.

The Arne Slot factor

Beyond his impressive performances at the beginning of the season and his potential for growth, Kökçü is particularly appealing to the Reds because of his previous experience with Arne Slot. The current manager at Anfield had the opportunity to work with him during his tenure at Feyenoord and has supported the idea of bringing him to Liverpool.

With a contract that runs until June 2028, acquiring Kökçü will be a challenging endeavor. Benfica has consistently demonstrated a strong ability to maximize their transfer dealings, and it is evident that they will demand a substantial fee for a player whose release clause is set at €150 million, significantly higher than the €80 million that Liverpool is considering.