Liverpool 'will NOT sign Ozan Kabak on £18m permanent deal

Liverpool ‘will NOT sign Ozan Kabak on a permanent deal this summer despite having £18m clause in his loan deal… with Turkish defender facing return to relegated Schalke while Jurgen Klopp turns his attention to Ibrahima Konate’ 

  • Ozan Kabak will not be joining Liverpool permanently, according to reports 
  • The Turkish defender moved to Anfield on loan in January amid an injury crisis 
  • The 21-year-old has played 13 times for the Reds and can sign for £18million 
  • Liverpool will reportedly not make that option as Virgil van Dijk aims to return
  • The Reds are also close to signing RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate this year 

Liverpool will not take up the option to make Ozan Kabak’s loan spell from Schalke permanent this summer, according to reports. 

The Turkish centre-back moved to Anfield in January to help out the Reds when Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez picked up long-term injuries in the first-half of the season and has made 13 appearances in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Liverpool have the option to sign the 21-year-old permanently for a £18million fee, which could rise to £26.5m should add-ons be met.

Liverpool will not sign Ozan Kabak on a permanent deal once his loan spell ends, say reports

The Turkish defender has played 13 times since moving to Anfield on loan in January

But according to The Sun, the Reds will not activate that option and Kabak faces returning to parent club Schalke this summer, who have just been relegated from the German Bundesliga. 

Meanwhile, Sportsmail understands Kabak has yet to be informed of this decision but the potential £34million signing of Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig is a motivation for Liverpool to not put Kabak on permanent terms. 

Kabak has endured a difficult few months at Liverpool which started horrendously on his Reds debut. 

Liverpool can sign Kabak for £18m this year, but the 21-year-old is set to move back to Schalke

Liverpool are deemed to be close to signing RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate on a £34million deal

The Turkish defender was involved in a mix-up with goalkeeper Alisson Becker which led to a Jamie Vardy tap-in on his first Liverpool game – a 3-1 defeat away at Leicester. 

Kabak won only one out of his first five Premier League games for Liverpool as Klopp’s side struggled in the league and was on the pitch as the Reds crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Real Madrid. 

But the Turkish centre-back has played a key role in the Reds’ seven-match unbeaten run in the top-flight which dates back to March 15, starting five games in that run. 

Kabak (right) has endured a difficult few months at Liverpool and made a mistake on his debut

But the 21-year-old has found himself out of the Liverpool matchday squad in recent weeks, with Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips starting the Reds’ recent victories against Southampton and Manchester United. 

Not only are Liverpool close to completing the signing of highly-rated French defender Konate, but Klopp is set to welcome back Dutch defender van Dijk in their pre-season campaign this summer.

The 29-year-old revealed this week that he will not rush back to play in Holland’s European Championships campaign, in order to be fit for the start of next season with Liverpool.  




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