Indications have shown that Premier League champions, Liverpool might not be making a move to sign Schalke center-back Ozan Kabak.
The Turkish is a player they have been heavily linked with. The Reds had last week secured the signing of Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota, after initially signing Greece international Kostantinos Tsimikas.
The Athletic reports Liverpool will turn their attention to a new center-back. Liverpool is currently short at center-back after the sale of Dejan Lovren to Zenith earlier in the window.
Having been linked with a number of options, which include Schalke’s promising defender, Liverpool already has Tsimikas, Thiago, and Jota, and they are not looking to bring in more players before the transfer window slams shut on October 5th.
Although it has been suggested that the Reds will bring in a new center-back following the departure of Lovren, Jurgen Klopp seemed to be happy with the options he has at his disposal.
Is Liverpool coy on Ozan Kabak?
Kabak has played over 30 competitive games in the Bundesliga from his stints with Stuttgart and Schalke since his departure from the Turkish giant, Galatasaray in 2018.
According to the available statistics from last season, the 20-year-old is a strong defender when it comes to aerial duels. With a relatively high 5.46 aerial duels per 90 minutes and an impressive success rate of 70.43%, Kabak is not a mere player. This could be an area that Liverpool are particularly interested in.
But the recent information might be seen as a coy. Liverpool coach, Jurgen Klopp had refused to talk about the progress in the negotiation for Thiago Alcantara before eventually signing him for 30m Euros.
Liverpool knows Kaba’s aerial importance on the pitch. So, having the Turkish as a back up is expected to help in the long run.
This could also put van Dijk and Matip on their toes and the former had recently committed an error in the League opener against Leeds United. Kabak is known for curbing the threat of long-range passes from the opposition. This allows an element of control on games for the Reds.
Kabak also fits into Liverpool profile as an impressive ball carrier. But much can’t be said as the transfer window still has almost three weeks for businesses to happen.
