---
title: "Liverpool: Dorukhan Tokoz being tracked by Reds"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/liverpool-dorukhan-tokoz-being-tracked-by-reds/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Liverpool Football Club"
published: "2019-08-06T14:15:01Z"
modified: "2019-08-06T14:15:01Z"
---

# Liverpool: Dorukhan Tokoz being tracked by Reds

**Liverpool are in the hunt to sign Turkey defensive midfielder Dorukhan Tokoz from Besiktas, according to a Turkish journalist.**

[Firat Gunayer tweeted](https://twitter.com/firatgunayer/status/1158113824429531136?s=21) that the European champions were among three British clubs currently monitoring the 23-year-old, who is a team-mate of on-loan Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius in Istanbul.

Dorukhan [joined Besiktas last year from fellow Turkish outfit Eskisehirspor](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dorukhan-tokoz/transfers/spieler/275935) and [made his senior national team debut last March](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/season=2020/matches/round=2001086/match=2026030/index.html) in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Albania.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

Dorukhan made [25 appearances in total](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dorukhan-tokoz/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/275935) for Besiktas last season, including [19 league starts](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/History/Dorukhan-Tokoz) in which he [scored three times and provided three assists](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dorukhan-tokoz/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/275935).

His [WhoScored.com profile](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/Show/Dorukhan-Tokoz) notes tackling as one of his main strengths and his 2018/19 statistics attest to this attribute, with the midfielder averaging [2.8 tackles per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/History/Dorukhan-Tokoz).

His average of [two interceptions per match](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/History/Dorukhan-Tokoz) also serves to highlight his effectiveness at breaking up opposition attacks, while he made [0.2 blocks per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/History/Dorukhan-Tokoz).

His willingness to halt the opposition can sometimes manifest itself in less than cerebral ways, with a [match average of 1.5 fouls](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/History/Dorukhan-Tokoz) and a total of [five yellow cards](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dorukhan-tokoz/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/275935) last season (0.2 per game).

One discernible weakness to Dorukhan’s game is his passing, with a match average of just [29.1 passes](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/History/Dorukhan-Tokoz) last term and an accuracy rate of [76.9%](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/280754/History/Dorukhan-Tokoz).

He plays in the same defensive midfield role currently occupied at Liverpool by Fabinho, who was [hailed by Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports MNF](https://twitter.com/SkySportsMNF/status/1117912319181201408) as a better option in that position than club captain Jordan Henderson.

The 25-year-old Brazil international averaged fewer tackles ([2.1](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/115916/Show/Fabinho)) and interceptions ([one](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/115916/Show/Fabinho)) per game than Dorukhan last season, while matching his [0.2 blocks per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/115916/Show/Fabinho) ratio.

He was also more prone to picking up yellow cards, with [10 bookings in 41 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fabinho/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/225693) for the Reds in 2018/19 (0.24 per game).

In possession of the ball, though, Fabinho far outstrips the Turkey midfielder. The Liverpool man averaged [57.5 passes per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/115916/Show/Fabinho) last season and had a success rate of [85.3%](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/115916/Show/Fabinho).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Dorukhan’s adeptness at winning possession should make him an ideal fit for Jurgen Klopp’s [pressing style which involves regaining the ball high up the pitch and immediately launching counter-attacks](https://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/what-is-heavy-metal-football-how-has-jurgen-klopp-used-it-at/gvxzni0i7rne1enr3bayptwcr).

The Turkey midfielder’s statistics suggest that he is even more capable than Fabinho of breaking up the play, although his passing game would need to improve – [only two Liverpool players had worse passing success rates last season](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/26/Show/England-Liverpool).

Liverpool already have other players who can fill in at defensive midfield in [Henderson and Naby Keita](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-liverpool/kadernachposition/verein/31), so Dorukhan would likely be a useful rather than essential addition if the Reds were to sign him.

***Liverpool fans, do you think Dorukhan would improve the Reds’ midfield if he moves to Anfield? Share your thoughts by commenting below!***