Premier League clubs are on alert after Orkun Kökçü expressed his unhappiness at Benfica this season.
Kökçü signed for Benfica from Feyenoord in a club-record €25m deal last summer, but has failed to settle in Lisbon despite a return of three goals and seven assists in 19 Primeira Liga appearances.
The Dutch-born Turkey international was linked with several Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window, including Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham, having impressed to captain Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2022/23.
Kökçü scored eight league goals during the club’s title success to earn a move to Benfica, though this week expressed his unhappiness with his role under head coach Roger Schmidt.
“My situation here at Benfica is not what I expected,” the midfielder said in an interview with Telegraaf.
“Roger Schmidt told me that I would have a role similar to the one I had at Feyenoord, where I defined the passing circuits, where I could always go forward… and this is not happening.”
Kökçü’s comments have been met with an angry response from the Benfica boss, who has said it is ‘impossible’ for the 23-year-old to be part of the team after conducting an interview outlining his frustrations.
“If you do that kind of interview, you can’t be part of the team. Impossible.” Schmidt said, as per Fabrizio Romano.
“I didn’t speak to the player yet, but I’ll tell him that he did something absolutely negative for club, team and especially for himself.”
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