Controversial midfielder's father gives three-word reaction to Liverpool transfer

Orkun Kokcu's dad has .

Kokcu played under for two years at Feyenoord, between 2021 and 2023, before moving to Portugal last year. It was reported by Portuguese outlet two weeks ago that was interested in signing Kokcu, with Reds scouts having watched the 23-year-old in Benfica's 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Slot was said to be the one leading Liverpool's interest in Kokcu, but the transfer fee could prove a significant obstacle, with Benfica said to be demanding €80 million ($86 million) for the youngster's services.

Kokcu, an attack-minded yet versatile midfielder, is contracted to Benfica until 2028, and actually has a buy-out clause in his contract worth €150 million ($162 million), which Liverpool obviously would not be prepared to meet.

Kokcu's dad was asked about the recent reports linking his son to Liverpool in a recent interview with ESPN in the Netherlands and responded: “Arne is a good friend of ours. He has been through a lot of things with Orkun. Yes, why not? It’s possible."

He added: “The most important thing now is Orkun’s focus, that he does well with Benfica. But of course, players and trainers don’t have just one station, the staff knows that too.

“In modern football, clubs think about finances, about making a profit. Orkun is a player who has the potential to make a profit with the next step. The fans and the club are also fine with that, of course. That was also the project. We’ll see where he ends up.”

Kokcu has courted controversy in the past, shunning wearing a rainbow captain's armband in 2022, which the Eredivisie brought in to support LGBTQ+ inclusion. “I stay close to my religion,” Kokcu told of his decision to reject the armband at the time. “But I also understand the reactions from the outside on the one hand.”

Jordan Henderson was criticized for his decision to move to Saudi Arabia last year, particularly given his standing as an LGBTQ+ ally, so it would be interesting to see how Reds fans would react to Kokcu arriving at Anfield.