Bundesliga side, Schalke 04 is likely to lose another first team member, Ozan Kabak to Liverpool.
Schalke. who suffered 8-0 capitulation in the hands of champions, Bayern Munich in the opening day of 2020 Bundesliga had sold Weston McKennie to Juventus on an initial loan and got some cash for it.
So, selling the Turkey international won’t be a surprise as the club will be happy to do business and recoup some cash as well to pay its debts that are up to 200m Euros.
For Liverpool, it can be a complete perfect transfer window after signing Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota. This is because the Anfield team is yet to replaced departed Dejan Lovren, who left for Zenith. Virgil van Dirk might be needing a backup.
So, signing a centre-back would be the cherry on top of this summer’s transfer window.
Ozan Kabak could meet Mitrovic again if he moves to Liverpool[/caption]
Alcantara and Jota signings have addressed key issues in Jurgen Klopp’s squad. So, having an additional centre-back to pair Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez won’t be out of place at all.
But if Liverpool fails to land Kabak, Fabinho could call up any other time to fill in at the back if required. The Brazilian midfielder has done that expertly already for the Reds as an emergency centre half.
Why Liverpool might be interested in Ozan Kabak
Kabak, who is a Turkey international has played more than 30 Bundesliga games for Schalke and Stuttgart since leaving Galatasaray in 2018. Why is Liverpool interested?His statistics from last season shows that the 20-year-old presents himself as a strong defender when it comes to aerial duels. The Turkish has a relatively high 5.46 aerial duels per 90 minutes with an impressive success rate of 70.43%. This could be an area that Liverpool are particularly interested in.
Liverpool knows aeriel importance on the pitch for centre backs. So, working on Kabak’s main strength is a timely reminder of just how key it can be.
van Dijk and Matip have been known for curbing the threat of long-range passes from the opposition. This allows an element of control on games for the Reds.
As a team that likes playing from the back, Kabak is an impressive ball carrier. Therefore, there are plenty of signs that he would be able to adapt to Liverpool’s dependence on centre-backs for game management.
Because he still in the early stages of his development, that willingness to bring possession out from the back will surely be something Liverpool will want to work on.
He might not make the first team for now at Liverpool, but raw defensive attributes could see him become a decent back-up. So, whenever he is called upon or even loaned out, his stock could eventually rise.
