Trabzonspor president Ahmet Agaoglu has confirmed that Liverpool have made a bid for goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, who is valued at €15 million.
According to Turkish-Football, Liverpool have made a bid for goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, as confirmed by Ahmet Agaoglu. The Trabzonspor president has claimed that he has received many offers for the prized goalkeeper, including the one from the Reds, who have been tracking Cakir for a long time now.
“There are offers for Cakir, we continue to receive offers. It’s been said Liverpool have made an offer. So a team that is undefeated in the Premier League wants my keeper. In other words, Liverpool’s goalkeeper is in my goal,” said Agaoglu, who reportedly values Cakir around the €15 million mark.
As for Liverpool, their interest in Cakir does make sense given the problems they have faced in the goalkeeping department this season. Alisson struggled with a calf injury earlier in the campaign.
Second choice ‘keeper Adrian, who arrived from West Ham in the summer, has done well for the most part. But, at the age of 33, the Spaniard is not a reliable long-term deputy for his Brazilian counterpart. This caused Liverpool fans to consider youngster Caiomhim Kelleher as the desired second-choice ‘keeper on many occasions.
But, the Irishman has no experience at the highest level of football and has already conceded ten goals in three games he has played in the English League Cup this season. And that’s where Cakir comes into the fray.
The 23-year-old has emerged as Trabzonspor’s first-choice keeper following the Onur Kivran incident that led to his retirement at the start of last year. Cakir has now already notched up 58 appearances for the club in all competitions and has kept 11 clean sheets. He has conceded only 18 goals in 16 matches, which is quite an impressive statistic for any goalkeeper.
Cakir’s performances in between the sticks have helped Trabzonspor post a strong challenge for the league title this term. In fact, the Karadeniz Fırtınası boast the third-best defence in the league this term, conceding just 18 goals in 17 matches, which is quite an improvement from last season, when they had conceded 46 goals in 34 games.
Cakir’s impressive displays in between the sticks also helped him earn his first cap for the Turkish national team in May of last year. And though he has featured in only two international matches, he sure seems like a future for the country, in goal.
Hence, the 23-year-old is indeed a viable target for Liverpool. He could be an excellent alternative to Alisson and could become a real asset to Jurgen Klopp’s team, especially in the FA Cup, where they must perform, following a hard-fought win over Everton in the third round.