Liverpool pay bargain loan fee to land second centre-back on deadline day

Ozan Kabak, Suat Serdar

Liverpool have signed Schalke’s Turkey central defender Ozan Kabak on loan until the end of the season, subject to international clearance.

The Premier League champions have paid an initial £1million loan fee with the option to buy for £18m at the end of the season.

Kabak completed the formalities of the switch in Germany and will travel to Merseyside later this week.

The 20-year-old arrives at Anfield after two years in the Bundesliga, where he represented Stuttgart before joining Schalke in July 2019.

He previously gained Champions League experience at Galatasaray and has won seven caps for Turkey.

He will wear the No.19 shirt for the Reds.

Southampton, meanwhile, are working on a last-minute loan deal for Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino.

Saints had been looking at a full-back on Monday, with Reds star Neco Williams also an option. However, they turned their attention to the attack before the 11pm deadline.

The move would free up Shane Long to join Bournemouth.


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Klopp hails Davies’ qualities

Jurgen Klopp has spoken for the first time about the recruitment of centre-half Ben Davies on transfer deadline day.

The defender completed a £1.6million deal to the Premier League champions from Preston North End on Monday.

Michael Dawson believes Ben Davies is ready for the Premier League

Michael Dawson believes Ben Davies is ready for the Premier League

Former Premier League centre back Michael Dawson believes Liverpool's new signing Ben Davies will have to adapt quickly because of the defensive injuries at Anfield.

The Reds have had somewhat of a defensive crisis this season with key personnel frequently being ruled out with injury.

Klopp hopes that 25-year-old Davies, who will wear the number 28 shirt, can help solve this issue.

The German explained what drew him to the centre-half.

“What I like about Ben is it just shows that each situation creates opportunities,” he said.

“He’s a boy who played his whole life for Preston, is around the corner pretty much. We see the potential, really.” Read more…