Benfica midfielder Orkun Kokcu has hailed former Feyenoord boss Arne Slot for playing a key role in his development.
Kokcu made his name at Feyenoord, a club he has been with since the youth system, and worked with Slot, who took over the team in the 2021-22 season, before moving to Benfica in 2023 and his former boss moving to Liverpool the following year.
Kokchu is currently being linked with a move to Liverpool, with the 23-year-old having a €150m release clause but a realistic asking price of around €70m.
“Arne Slot is like a father to me. He made me who I am today. He is the best coach in the world.”
“When my previous coach (Slot) came in, I made a lot of progress in his first season. We made it to the Conference League final that year, but unfortunately we lost.”
“However, I think my performances that season were very good. I wanted to move in the summer. Some big clubs in the top six in England were interested in me. We had ยูฟ่าเบท serious talks about moving, but at the last minute it didn’t happen.”
“The following season, Arne Slot appointed me as captain and that responsibility helped me to perform better,” Kokcu told Turkish outlet TRT Sport.