Liverpool have been linked with numerous European central defenders ever since the potentially season-ending injuries suffered by last season’s impregnable partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
One of the longest-standing reported interests is in Schalke defender Ozan Kabak, who was linked with the Reds prior to the gut-wrenching double blow to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
With the January transfer window now just days away, the rumour mill is churning once again and Kabak is in the frame once more.
A report from Mike McGrath in The Telegraph has claimed the Bundesliga side – who are currently floundering at the bottom of the table – are open to discussing a move for their Turkish 20-year-old.
Their reported terms may have caught many off guard, however, as they apparently want a fee as well as Liverpool striker Divock Origi as part of the deal.
Whilst Schalke’s ‘goals against’ column doesn’t make for pretty reading, Kabak is a highly-rated defender who already has six senior Turkey caps to his name.
David Wagner, former Huddersfield Town manager and best friend to Klopp, once described Kabak as ‘one of the most talented defenders of his age in Europe’; whilst the defender himself has spoken of his admiration for Van Dijk, whom he ‘idolises’.
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Swap deals are a lesser-seen commodity in today’s game, but in this instance, the Reds hierarchy should seriously consider the practicality.
Using Origi as a makeweight would vastly reduce the fee and would solve the problem of finding a buyer for the Belgian striker, who has fallen so far behind this current Anfield crop.
Origi is valued at £14.4m by Transfermarkt whilst Kabak has a market value of £22.5m according to the same website.
In Saturday’s resounding victory over Crystal Palace, both Takumi Minamino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain featured in the front three ahead of the 25-year-old, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Diogo Jota to come back into the reckoning.
Klopp’s immediate need is for defensive reinforcements and, if Kabak is the chosen one, letting a cult hero like Origi leave the club in order to make it happen is barely a glancing blow.
