Wesley Sneijder, a previous transfer target for Manchester United, has urged Feyenoord captain Orkun Kokcu to turn off their interest in him this summer.
Six Premier League teams are interested in the 22-year-old midfielder, and the player's father has had numerous inquiries for the Rotterdam club's star player. This season, he led Feyenoord to an astounding Eredivisie championship, defeating seasoned opponents Ajax and PSV Eindhoven.
Kokcu, who is of Turkish and Azerbaijani ancestry, advanced through Feyenoord's youth program and has made 173 club appearances. He was chosen as the team's captain this year, and although frequently playing in a deep-lying midfield position, he has been a standout for the team, scoring 12 goals.
Kokcu is well-known to United manager Erik ten Hag from his time as Ajax's head coach, and he checks all the right boxes with his superb skill and aggressive style of play, which takes him box-to-box. His all-action play style explains why he scores so many goals despite not constantly playing at the top of the pitch.
Journal based in Rotterdam Kokcu's interest in United has been revived by 1908, despite the club's priority this summer being to sign a new goalkeeper and striker. However, Ten Hag is adamant about improving every aspect of his team.
However, former Dutch midfield ace Sneijder has urged Kokcu to reject any move to Old Trafford. “He did a great job. He played a fantastic season,” Sneijder told Veronica Inside, as cited by United in Focus, when asked about the player. “But I doubt that he can compete at the top of Europe. Where should a boy like that go?"
“I would say stay another year. Enjoy it. If you’re really good, that option will come naturally. Maybe he can reach the top of European football. If he is a starter player for three or four years and he carries that team, then that is possible.”
Sneijder added: “If you go to a mid-ranking team and opt for the money, there is a chance that you will never play in the Champions League. I would say stay at Feyenoord.”
Sneijder's 17-year senior career came to an end in 2019, and a move to Old Trafford was frequently mentioned in what has now become a recurring storyline. The playmaker's alleged interest in being signed by Sir Alex Ferguson while he was in charge at Old Trafford has since been denied.
"That's come up a lot of times but we were never interested in Sneijder," Ferguson responded when asked about players who were heavily linked with a switch but never transferred. "I don't know where that came from but you get a lot of them."
Sneijder was then linked with a move to United under Louis van Gaal, who had previously coached him at international level with the Netherlands. "Louis is one of the most intelligent men in football – and I knew of Manchester United's interest in the summer," Sneijder said in 2014.
"It was flattering – but I am very happy in Turkey (with Galatasaray) – and it is very hard to leave Champions League football."
Erik Ten Hag denied Ajax reunion
Amourricho van Axel Dongen, a young winger, recently extended his contract with Ajax amid rumors that the player will rejoin previous manager Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
After five years as the Dutch team's head coach, Ten Hag left Ajax for Manchester United last year. While the three Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups he won during his time in command are typically used to assess managerial success, his tenure can also be judged by the amount of players he helped develop.
Van Axel Dongen was one such talent, having progressed through the Ajax academy since joining the team in 2013. He received the Abdelhak Nouri prize as the top young athlete from the Ajax youth academy eight years later.
When he was 17 years old, the player replaced Antony, who is now with Ten Hag at United, for the final five minutes of a 3-0 victory away from home over Utrecht. His contract in Amsterdam was set to expire this summer, and he had previously shown interest in reuniting with Ten Hag.
“I will remain eternally grateful to him for giving me the opportunity as a young player to play football with players like Antony and Dusan Tadic,” he told Voetbal Zone back in September.
“I think it’s great to see that things are going a bit better with Manchester United; I really wish him that. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to speak to him since his transfer to United, but who knows, our paths may cross in the future.”
The contract for Van Axel Dongen was due to expire in June, and United was reportedly keeping an eye on him. He has now signed a four-year agreement with Ajax that runs through the summer of 2027, though.
The winger's future is still in Amsterdam, according to a statement from Ajax. He will join the Ajax 1 team during the summer break, according to their announcement.
The central striker is Manchester United's top priority position to be strengthened this summer. One such target is Victor Osimhen of Napoli due to concerns that a transfer for Harry Kane of Tottenham will not be successful.
When Napoli played Milan in the Champions League last month, United scouts were present. Although the Nigerian scored, it wasn't enough for his team to advance, but Osimhen's goals helped Napoli win their first league title in 33 years. The 24-year-old is the top striker on the club's shortlist and is highly regarded by United's transfer officials.
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