As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Ex-Feyenoord coach Stam says Arsenal target Kokcu can handle move

Former Feyenoord coach Jaap Stam says Orkun Kokcu can handle a move to the Premier League.

Arsenal are one of many teams monitoring the 19-year-old midfielder who scored three goals, providing six assists in 31 appearances throughout a breakthrough season.

“He would need to adjust because the step to Arsenal and the Premier League is totally different when you compare it to Holland," Stam told Goal. “The pace of the game, the quality, the intensity is a lot higher.

“But he has the ability. He is a player who has the personality to want to improve, he always wants to do better. He's never happy with himself, he's disappointed if he doesn't score, or his passes aren't good enough.

“When I joined Feyenoord, he hadn't played a lot because everyone said he was too young. I put him in the first team and let him play most of the games, I trusted him and saw a lot of ability in him. Now he's proving himself in Holland and is one of the best midfield players in the country.

“He's certainly got the ability to make that step to the Premier League."

Video of the day:

About the author

Paul Vegas

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free