According to report from Mirror UK
Liverpool open talks with Schalke over Ozan Kabak transfer for initial £20million
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...y3pN9qpjODFiZY
Liverpool have opened talks with Schalke about a £20million New Year swoop for young defender Ozan Kabak.
The Reds told the Bundesliga club that they want to take the 20-year-old Turkish centre-back to Anfield after learning they had lost Virgil van Dijk for the season with a torn cruciate ligament.
Jurgen Klopp is a big admirer of Kabak – and Liverpool would have made their move in the summer had the pandemic not struck to limit their transfer spend.
Schalke valued Kabak at £40million before covid-19 ravaged the game's finances.
They are still looking to bank £30million but Liverpool are preparing a deal that would see them pay an initial £20million with further payments loaded into the deal.
Van Dijk is not expected to play again this season after suffering serious knee damage from a challenge by Everton's Jordan Pickford in last weekend's Merseyside derby.
Kabak has been at Schalke for just over a year after arriving from Stuttgart for £13million when they triggered a clause in his contract.
Born in Ankara, he came through the ranks at Galatasaray before moving to Germany.
He has played four times for Turkey after representing his country at youth level since the age of 14.
