In a recent report, The Athletic has stated that Newcastle United are set to be offered a chance to land Schalke defender Ozan Kabak whose loan spell at Liverpool is set to run out this summer. It is believed that the German club are asking for £18m which could rule the Magpies out of a move for the Turkey international in this off-season (via The Athletic).
Kabak’s Injury-Ravaged Spell With The Reds
Kabak has endured an injury-plagued loan spell at Merseyside which explains why he has struggled to earn regular playing minutes over the past few months. The Turkish centre-back has participated in 13 matches for the 2019-20 Premier League champions this term, picking up four yellow cards on all fronts.
However, the 21-year-old has caught the eye by averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 3.0 clearances per game in the Premier League this season. He has even taken care of the ball when distributing possession from the back after making 88.7% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
Kabak has shown some signs of his quality during his time at Anfield, so he could be a shrewd signing for Newcastle if they can find the funds to bring him on board when the transfer window commences next month.
Will Kabak Be A Decent Option For The Magpies?
Kabak is a moderately-paced central defender who can pass the ball with conviction when playing his way out of the defence. He is also a decent tackler of the ball and has got good defensive awareness that allows him to pull off some important interceptions at the back.
The ten-time Turkey international is also not afraid to put his foot through the ball and clear his lines when in danger of being exposed by the opposition. However, he is prone to making errors on the defensive end of the field as he is still learning his trade at the highest level.
Kabak will undoubtedly add some serious competition for Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and Paul Dummett for a regular place in Steve Bruce’s starting XI. At 21, he is in for a very bright future, so the Magpies will do well to bring him to St. James’ Park this summer. All in all, Kabak will serve as a good option for them if Bruce can somehow find a way to land him on a cut-price fee this summer.
