Leeds United have been boosted in their efforts in sign Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu, according to a fresh report which has emerged.
The Lowdown: Leeds looking for midfielder
The Whites have experienced a tough start to the season, sitting 15th in the Premier League and having to make do without injured key players such as Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford.
Leeds have looked light in midfield, with Adam Forshaw being relied upon after a two-year injury absence and Kalvin Phillips not always available.
It looks likely that a new midfielder could come in during next month's transfer window, and an update has emerged regarding Kokcu.
[freshpress-quiz id=“375277"]
The Latest: Whites linked with move
According to Feyenoord Transfermarkt [via Sport Witness], Leeds could be able to sign the 20-year-old if they pay at least €20m (£16.9m) for his services.
The report claims that Kokcu has rejected a move to Hertha Berlin, despite them making a ‘generous proposal’.
The young 13-cap Turkey international has started 15 Eredivisie games this season, scoring once and providing five assists so far, while last month he was hailed as the 'young star' of his national team by Turkish newspaper Fanatik.
[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-27/" title="Latest Leeds United news!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]
The Verdict: Solid January signing
Kokcu is generally considered a defensive midfielder, so he could be an ideal man to come in as an understudy for Phillips moving forward.
Not only has he averaged 2.6 key passes per game in the Eredivisie this season - Phillips has only averaged 0.6 in England's top flight - he has also chipped in with one tackle per match, showing that he can impress both on and off the ball.
At 20, it would be unfair for Bielsa to throw Kokcu straight in as a key player, but he could give Leeds the much-needed squad depth that they crave.
In other news, a journalist has confirmed Leeds' interest in one player. Find out who it is here.