In a recent interview (via Liverpool Echo), Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp revealed that the Merseyside club is yet to make a decision on Ozan Kabak’s future. Klopp said,
“Ozan was absolutely incredible, he did a great job.
“Not to forget he is a young, young boy with incredible experience already.
“He has been with different clubs, moved early from Turkey to Germany and played at two big clubs in Germany in difficult situations which were obviously not his fault, we could all see that when he arrived here.
“Yes, he took a little bit of time to adapt but he did super things for us.
“I don’t know how many games out but against Leipzig [in the Champions League] he was incredible, we knew how good Leipzig could be.
“About the future, we will talk about it after that, and decide about it after the last match.
“There is obviously enough time for that, nothing else really to say about that.”
Kabak’s Loan Spell Of Mixed Emotions In English Football
Kabak’s loan spell at Anfield is set to expire at the end of this campaign but the Reds have the option to sign him permanently for £18m in the summer. The Turkish defensive ace has endured an injury-plagued loan spell at the Merseyside club but has still managed to produce a few impressive displays at the heart of Klopp’s defence.
The 21-year-old has made 13 appearances for the Reds this term, picking up four yellow cards across all fronts. Kabak has given a good account of himself on the defensive end of the pitch as he is averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 3.0 clearances per 90 minutes in Premier League football this season. He has even been tidy when distributing possession from the back after completing 88.7% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Should The Reds Sign Kabak Permanently This Summer?
Kabak is a decent tackler of the ball and can sense the danger quickly to earn possession back for his side. He is a moderately paced centre-back who can recover quickly and is not afraid to put his foot through the ball to make a clearance when needed.
The Turkish sensation is also quite composed when playing his way out from the back. However, he needs to work on improving his strength if he wants to grow into a top-class defender someday. Considering that the Reds only need to pay £18m to make his loan deal permanent, it makes sense for Klopp to take up that option this summer.
However, with Liverpool now the favorites to land Ibrahima Konate from Red Bull Leipzig, one can argue whether they need another central defender, considering they already have Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Nathaniel Phillips for the new season. Either way, Kabak could still prove to be a shrewd signing for the Reds as he has the potential to become a future star in European football.
