Speaking on a recent episode of the Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano claimed that Liverpool ‘have to move immediately’ if they wish to sign FC Schalke 04 centre-back Ozan Kabak.
Since joining Schalke from VfB Stuttgart in what was a £13.5 million deal last summer, Kabak has gone on to make 31 appearances for Die Konigsblauen, chipping in with three goals and providing one assist along the way.
Last season, the £26.1 million-rated 20-year-old impressed in the Bundesliga, making an average of 1.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 3.6 clearances per game over his 26 league appearances, culminating in an average WhoScored match rating of 6.85/10 – ranking him as the club’s seventh-best performer in the league.
However, things have not got off to the best of starts for the Turkey international so far this term, as over his three league appearances, the centre-back has averaged a very disappointing WhoScored match rating of 5.41.
Despite this, according to Romano, interest remains high in the defender, with the journalist claiming on a recent episode of the Here We Go podcast that both Liverpool and AC Milan could be interested in making a move for Kabak in January.
He said: “He’s in the [running] for Liverpool, yes, we can confirm he’s in the [running]. [It] is not advanced, there are no negotiations yet between clubs, but he’s in the [running]. Liverpool are in contact with his agent, we know that they are going to sign a new centre-back because [Virgil] van Dijk is injured.
“But, AC Milan are seriously going for him. AC Milan are in talks with two different centre-backs – one is Kabak. He was already close on the deadline day [to] moving to AC Milan, then they [couldn’t] find an agreement with Schalke.
“Right now, Schalke are moving to find his replacement, a new centre-back. AC Milan are working to sign him in January. So, if Liverpool want to sign Ozan Kabak, they have to move immediately.”
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TIF Thoughts on Fabrizio Romano’s comments regarding Ozan Kabak…
From Romano’s comments, it is clear that the journalist is of the belief that AC Milan are extremely interested in signing Kabak in the January transfer window, and as such, should Liverpool wish to make a move for the defender, in a bid to replace their injured centre-backs Van Dijk and Joe Gomez, they will have to do so very quickly.
However, a report published towards the end of October appeared to distance Liverpool from the signing of the 20-year-old, although at present, it is unclear as to whether the more recent injury to Gomez will now force Liverpool to make a move for a new defender in January.