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Cost 63% more than Endo: Liverpool may have dodged a big bullet over 2023 transfer target

Originally posted on Empire of the Kop | By Liam Togher | Last updated 3/19/24

Midfield was the primary focus of Liverpool’s summer 2023 transfer window, with five outgoings and four incoming in that position during the market.

Among those who came to Anfield was Wataru Endo, a £16m acquisition from Stuttgart. Meanwhile, one of the heavily linked targets who didn’t end up on Merseyside was Orkun Kokcu, who was ‘high on the agenda’ for the Reds at one point before ultimately joining Benfica from Feyenoord in a €30m (£26m) move.

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However, the 23-year-old now find himself in the dock at the Estadio da Luz after giving an interview to De Telegraaf in which he complained about Roger Schmidt playing him in a defensive midfield role.

The Lisbon club’s manager promptly hit back, saying (via Fabrizio Romano on X): “If you do that kind of interview, you can’t be part of the team. Impossible. 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.”

Benfica manger Schmidt on Kökçü saying he's unhappy: "If you do that kind of interview, you can't be part of the team. Impossible".

"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". pic.twitter.com/s3wzZrnjEW

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 18, 2024

In light of Kokcu’s public grievances about his playing position, Liverpool chiefs may well think they’ve dodged a bullet by the Turkey international joining Benfica last summer.

While the 23-year-old has sometimes played in a number 10 role, he’s primarily a central midfielder but has returned just three goals from 34 appearances this season. Coincidentally, both tallies match Endo’s output for 2023/24 thus far (Transfermarkt).

That’s despite the Japan captain lining out solely at the base of midfield, with his first task being to break up opposition attacks and provide a solid anchor in front of the back four. It’s a role in which he’s excelled ever since coming to Anfield seven months ago.

It’s certainly hard to envisage him publicly griping about how Jurgen Klopp deploys him, in stark contrast to Kokcu, who’ll have some grovelling to do if he’s to get back in Schmidt’s good books.

Benfica paid 63% more for the Turkish midfielder than Liverpool forked out for Endo. Based on how their respective seasons have gone so far, it’s clear that the latter transfer has worked out so much better, which’ll be to the great relief of Reds supporters.