Liverpool are working on a deal to permanently sign on-loan defender Ozan Kabak from FC Schalke for half the price that was initially agreed upon.
According to a report from Football Insider, reigning Premier League champions Liverpool are in talks to secure the permanent transfer of Ozan Kabak from FC Schalke in a deal worth just £9 million.
Kabak arrived at Liverpool on a loan deal till the end of the season. As part of the agreement, the Reds have the option of making his transfer permanent for a fee of around £18 million. However, with Schalke mired in financial troubles, Liverpool are hoping to make the most of it by agreeing a cut-price deal for Kabak.
The 21-year-old, since arriving at Anfield earlier this year, has featured seven times across all competitions, helping Liverpool to four clean sheets. While there have been a few mistakes, the Turkish international has largely been a solid presence at the back in his handful of appearances.
Liverpool, heading into the summer transfer window, are in need of defensive reinforcements. The Reds’ lack of depth in the centre-back department was brutally exposed this term as Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk succumbed to season-ending injuries while Joel Matip was continued to haunt with his injury issues.
As a result, Liverpool were forced to dip their toe into the market during the January transfer window, with the Reds signing two new defenders – Kabak on loan and Ben Davies on a permanent transfer from Preston North End. The latter, however, had had fitness issues of his own and is yet to make his debut for the Merseyside giants.
So, it goes without saying that Liverpool need to add another centre-back to their defensive contingent before the next season kicks off. To that end, the Reds are said to be closing in on the capture of RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate, with the Frenchman already reported to have completed parts of his medical.
At the same time, it seems like Liverpool are also pushing to sign Kabak permanently. With Schalke’s financial difficulties not ceasing, the Reds, who did pay a loan fee of £1.5 million in January, could be able to successfully negotiate the transfer fees for the Turkish international down to just £9-10 million.
Given his age and potential, Kabak’s signing at that price would be a massive bargain for Klopp & co. It now remains to be seen if such a deal sees the light of the day or whether Schalke insist on Liverpool paying the full £18 million fees.
