In a recent report, Calciomercato has provided an update on Liverpool‘s pursuit of Schalke defender Ozan Kabak. It has been revealed that the German club are waiting for the Reds to make an offer as Jurgen Klopp is interested in securing the Turkish defender’s signature but is yet to launch a concrete offer for him (via Calciomercato).
Kabak’s Excellent Rise At The VELTINS-Arena
The Ankara-born defensive ace has missed a significant chunk of this campaign due to suspension. He returned to action versus Mainz but has struggled to help side keep clean sheets in the Bundesliga. Kabak has featured in four matches for the German club this term, picking up two yellow cards and one red card in the league.
The 20-year-old was a consistent performer at Gelsenkirchen last season when he made 28 appearances for Schalke, scoring three goals and grabbing one assist on all fronts. The Turkish youngster gave a good account of himself by averaging 1.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 3.6 clearances and 0.8 dribbles per game in the previous Bundesliga campaign. He even distributed the ball quite well out from defence as evident from his pass completion rate of 81.5% in league football (stats via whoscored).
Kabak is still quite an inexperienced defender, so only time will tell whether he can continue to impress in the Bundesliga this season. If he does, then Liverpool should consider launching a move for him at the end of this campaign. However, Klopp would be taking a gamble if he decides to recruit him this winter as the player won’t be an immediate fix to his side’s recent defensive frailties amid the long-term injury absence of Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk.
What Are The Turkish International’s Best Attributes?
Kabak is a deceptively quick centre-half who can use his strength to outmuscle the opposition and come away with the ball. Standing at 1.86m, he can be an intimidating presence at the back and can win his fair share of 50-50 aerial duels as he has got a great leap in him.
Plus, the six-time Turkish international is a strong tackler and can make some essential interceptions and last-ditch clearances for his team. However, he still has a long way to go before he is ready to establish himself as a top performer at the highest level.
Should The Reds Get Kabak On Board This Winter?
Based on Kabak’s form last season, Liverpool should consider making a move for him in the future as he could potentially develop into a world-class centre-half in the coming seasons. However, the Turkish defender won’t be a good fit for the Reds in January as he doesn’t have the experience or winning mindset to feature in Klopp’s first-team week in week out in the second half of this Premier League campaign. Furthermore, his recent disciplinary record and injury history also makes him a huge gamble for the Merseyside club to contemplate on this winter.
