New signing of the Reds compared to Sergio Ramos, is loved by Klopp’s teammate and wanted by Manchester United and Arsenal

Schalke defender Ozan Kabak completed his move for Liverpool on the day of the deadline, nearly two years after being linked with moves to Manchester United and Arsenal.

The 20-year-old Kabak has already built up quite a bit in his young career and has now teamed up with the Premier League champions to team up with one of their idols.

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With Jurgen Klopp’s men suffering a defensive injury crisis this season, it was only a matter of time before a new center-back joined.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez have long been absent, while even substitute Joel Matip has had his problems, with midfielders Jordan Henderson and Fabinho called to the baseline to help.

Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips also lent a hand when necessary, but Kabak seems to be considered the long-term solution and could give the club a replacement for Dejan Lovren, who left last summer.

Below talkSPORT.com provides a detailed rundown of everything you need to know about Kabak …

What is the deal?

Arsenal and Manchester United were interested in signing Kabak in 2019, and Tottenham also maintained a tentative interest in his services.

Bayern Munich were also following the graceful defender’s progress, but eventually he joined Schalke that summer six months after leaving Galatasaray in their home soil for Stuttgart.

Things haven’t been going well for Schalke recently, but despite his struggles, Kabak remains a prospect that the best clubs have been watching.

In games the defender has played in, the Bundesliga team have conceded an average of 2.49 goals per game, but see the benefit of selling off their talented young star as they try to rebuild their squad.

Initially, he will join Liverpool for a £ 2.5 million loan fee with the option to buy him in the summer.

Club career so far?

The Ankara native joined the Galatasaray youth academy at just 11 years old.

Kabak would go on to make 14 appearances for the Turkish giants, 13 of which came in the 2018/19 campaign before his midseason move to Stuttgart.

There he won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award despite making only 15 league appearances.

His talent was immediately highlighted and within six months he was signed by Schalke for £ 13.5 million after his release clause was triggered.

Over a season and a half, Kabak has made 40 Bundesliga appearances in royal blue, but the club has had many difficulties.

In the 2019/20 campaign he failed to win any games after a mid-January win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

They almost survived thanks to their good form at the beginning of that season, but the winless streak continued into the current season.

Between January 18, 2020 and January 8, 2021, Schalke failed to win a single league game, before a win over Hoffenheim marked the end of the disastrous streak.

However, they are currently at the bottom of the Bundesliga table and nine points away from safety.

Kabak, however, did not help matters for Schalke, as he was suspended for five games after being caught spitting on Ludwig Augustinsson last September, while also receiving a £ 13,235 (€ 15,000) fine for the incident. .

International experience?

Kabak won 50 international appearances for Turkey and now plays for the senior team.

He was first called up to the main team in March 2019 and became a regular in 2020, making six appearances, bringing his total to seven overall.

What is said about him?

“Ozan is one of the best defensive talents in Europe,” said former Schalke head coach David Wagner.

“Everybody knows which teams did their best to try to sign him. Without a doubt, he is one of the most talented defenders of his time in Europe ”.

Wagner is an old friend of Jurgen Klopp and the current Reds boss has revealed how he managed to defeat his new defender.

“Yeah, Dave was already very, very positive about him,” Klopp said. “He came to Germany very young and it was clear to everyone that he was a huge talent.

“Dave always said that he will be the future captain of a team. It is a suitable personality.

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“When you go abroad at that age, to another country and play for other clubs, he could have played in Turkey for every club he wanted. Then he goes to Stuttgart, then he goes to Schalke. He could have gone anywhere, but he wanted to take football steps and we are a suitable football step for him.

“He wants to learn, but he can already deliver.”

Stuttgart sporting director Thomas Hitzlsperger knew his talent mentally and technically.

“It’s amazing how wise he is for his age,” he said. “It’s amazing. I watch him every day and I’m amazed at how mature he is. He wants to know everything; wants to learn German immediately and understand everything. That is the kind of attitude we need. He is already a role model, despite his age ”.

Gonzalo Castro, Stuttgart teammate, added: “He is very relaxed, very calm and does not let the current situation of the club [in a relegation fight] piss him off. He definitely has the talent to play for a great club. “

The official Bundesliga website compared his reading of the game and tenacity in the inning with Sergio Ramos, while Kabak himself has admitted that he admires the Real Madrid ace, along with Raphael Varane and Virgil van Dijk.

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Speaking of his own strengths, Kabak highlighted his aerial talents: “I would say my heading ability is good, because I scored a lot with my head before, at Galatasaray. I have good physique, like the rhythm and the jump ”.

Meanwhile, on his love for Liverpool star defender Van Dijk, he added: “As a footballer? I like his style and the way he plays, so I can say that he is my football idol. “

Meanwhile, European soccer expert Andy Brassell has revealed all about Liverpool’s new signing.

He told talkSPORT: “It’s been a really tough season, a tough couple of years for him, really.

“Kabak has a lot of skill. When he came to the Galatasaray youth academy, and they don’t produce players as prolifically as before, he settled in right away.

“He looked like a man right away, a true leader, brilliant, he fits into the tackle, he’s quite strong, he’s fast enough and he’s someone who can really score a martial defense.

“But then, as Galatasaray needed the money, they sold it to Stuttgart at 18, it ended up being the leader there because they didn’t have leaders, they relegated them, then they sold it to Schalke and it’s been a very, very difficult time. for him all the time he’s been there.

“Especially this season, it’s been hard to get something good out of it because they just lose every week. That, for me, is concern.

“The skill is there, but if Liverpool expect someone to have an immediate impact, they have been on teams that have lost most of the weeks in the last two years, and I think that has started to affect them a bit. little bit. Then it needs a little work.

“The other thing when you see that the deal is happening now, on the day of the deadline, why didn’t Liverpool do it earlier? Schalke have set the same price for the whole month and have needed the money all the time.