Ozan Kabak to Liverpool: Two concerns raised with centre-back duo undergoing medicals

Liverpool: Klopp gives transfer update amid Davies links

Liverpool are working on bringing in Ozan Kabak from Schalke in the final hours of the transfer deadline, but Paul Merson has raised two issues which may concern Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool have left it late to bring in defensive cover in the January transfer window.

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They were punished for not replacing Dejan Lovren in the summer when both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez suffered long-term injuries at the start of the campaign.

Their replacements Joel Matip and Fabinho have also had their fair share of fitness issues with the former set for a lengthy spell out after suffering an injury against Tottenham last week.

Matip’s latest setback appeared to be the final push for Liverpool officials to begin working on signing at least one centre-back before the window closed.

Reports emerged on Sunday that a £2million fee had been agreed for Preston’s Ben Davies.

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But it looks increasingly likely that a second centre-back will head to Anfield this week with Kabak reportedly undergoing a medical in Germany.

The 20-year-old has been linked with a move to Merseyside in the past and has impressed in his two years playing in Germany.

If a deal is confirmed for Kabak, he arrives from a club sitting at the bottom of the Bundesliga who have won just once league game all season.

Kabak also relishes the physical side of the game, telling the Bundesliga website last year that it’s one of his main attributes.

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But Merson believes the defender will need to tone down that side of his game if he completes a move to Liverpool.

And the Arsenal hero also fears that Kabak will need time to adjust to being in a team expected to win every game.

“You come in from a losing mentality to a winning mentality which is different,” he said on Sky Sports.

“When you play week in and week out and – let’s be honest – at Schalke they’re expected to lose every week with one win all season so the winning mentality is different.

“Here he comes into Liverpool and they’ve got to win football matches.”

He added: “That’s the mentality he [Klopp] has got to get into that player as quickly as possible.

“When I heard that he’s very physical, that he likes a [tackle] – that worries me.

“In this day and age, with centre halves, them days are long gone when you could come steaming into the back of a forward and the ref says ‘one more’, you don’t get that anymore.

“He might have to change his game there but he’s a young kid.

“He’s going to be working with the best in the world in Van Dijk and he’s going to have the best goalkeeper in the world in Alisson behind him.

“He’s got two very good full backs and he’s got players like Thiago. The better the team you’re in, the better the player you are. You’ve got to have the players around you.”

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