TOTTENHAM have reportedly made contact with Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu – who remains a long-term target for rivals Arsenal.
The Daily Mail claim Spurs’ recruitment staff have identified the 20-year-old as a player who can help improve the team’s fortunes next season.
The report adds that the club have communicated with Orkun’s representatives to register their interest.
Spurs are said to continue to be updated on his future as he is attracting admiring glances from across Europe.
Arsenal have a long-standing interest in Kokcu having sent scouts to watch the highly-rated youngster make his senior debut at 17 back in 2018.
The Gunners also tried to sign the player last year but Tottenham are now ready to go head-to-head in the race for the Turkey International.
Kokcu has impressed in Holland since his return to fitness in January following a two month injury lay-off.
He was named in the Eredivisie team of the month for both February and March and the Dutch top-flight’s young player of the month last month.
Manchester United icon Jaap Stam previously managed Kokcu and was asked about his Premier League potential when he was linked with Arsenal.
He told Goal: “He would need to adjust because the step to Arsenal and the Premier League is totally different when you compare it to Holland.
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“The pace of the game, the quality, the intensity is a lot higher.
“But he has the ability. He is a player who has the personality to want to improve, he always wants to do better. He’s never happy with himself, he’s disappointed if he doesn’t score, or his passes aren’t good enough.
“When I joined Feyenoord, he hadn’t played a lot because everyone said he was too young. I put him in the first team and let him play most of the games, I trusted him and saw a lot of ability in him.
“Now he’s proving himself in Holland and is one of the best midfield players in the country.
“He’s certainly got the ability to make that step to the Premier League.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
