The arrival of Ozan Kabak in January is a giant a part of the rationale why Liverpool are nonetheless on the lookout for Champions League qualifiers.
- Advertisement -
The Turkish defender landed in Anfield on the deadline day together with Ben Davies, however whereas we don’t but see definitive proof that the latter really exists, Kabak has made his presence recognized.
The Schalke borrower has helped assist a protection that was ravaged by harm and poor leakage. He struck up a useful partnership with Nat Phillips and has stored clear sheets in six of his 12 video games for the membership thus far.
Properly performed boys?? https://t.co/kJqv9CwwHt
– Ozan KABAK (@ ozankabak4) 13 Might 2021
His tempo and calm behind specifically has been a breath of recent air, and he has been a giant miss from their victories over Southampton and Manchester United, though outcomes traces don’t essentially mirror that.
You’d suppose it will be a shoo-in, then the Reds will set off his £ 18m choice to purchase and make him a everlasting addition this summer time. However evidently it is just not that straightforward, as new studies declare that Jurgen Klopp is just not but satisfied that he’s well worth the expense.
It comes amid fears that Kabak could not play a lot in the primary group when an entire complement of midfielders is out there. Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are about to return, whereas all indications are that a brand new defender will arrive this summer time, whether or not it’s Ibrahima Konate or not.
As spectacular as Kabak has been, you may perceive these reservations. £ 18m doesn’t seem to be a enormous sum, however each penny is a prisoner within the midst of a pandemic-forced monetary disaster that has seen the membership face pre-tax losses of just about £ 50m.
If there are not any ensures that Kabak will play, then from Liverpool’s perspective there isn’t any room within the monetary accounts for feelings.
One argument that falls in Kabak’s favor is that he can present a vital bridge from this season to subsequent. Whereas nonetheless younger, he’s skilled, and if it appears like Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip threat lacking the opening video games in 2021/22, it may gain advantage Liverpool to have at the very least one midfielder out there who is decided and acclimatized to their type of play.
However in that case, it might be extra financially smart for Liverpool to tie Nat Phillips to an extension of his contract, on condition that he has been simply as spectacular in latest weeks.
? Jurgen Klopp on Nat Phillips, Ozan Kabak and Rhys Williams:
“The boys did extremely properly. Ozan got here in and performed a brilliant function for us – sadly now injured. Nat and Rhys – this yr have created two actual careers which is sweet – so each could have a correct profession. ”? pic.twitter.com/fy03jBqnCP
– Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) Might 15, 2021
It’s a complicated scenario for Liverpool and offers one thing of a catch-22. They may shoot out for Kabak simply so he might get Kostas Tsimikas’ therapy, whereas they might simply as properly settle towards him and remorse it inside a number of weeks. All of it is determined by a variety of variable elements which might be inconceivable to foretell at this stage.
However one factor is needless to say: Kabak has performed all the pieces he can to earn a summer time transfer to Anfield. He has served Liverpool properly and helped them step again into the Champions League battle, and the Reds have repaid it by giving him a platform to assist him get his large transfer this summer time.
Whether or not it is again to Merseyside stays to be seen, however no matter occurs, his mortgage transfer has been a convincing success for everybody concerned.
