The Reds have pulled the plug on talks to make Ozan Kabak’s stay on Merseyside a permanent one beyond the summer with the centre-back certain to leave for his parent club Schalke once his loan deal comes to a close.
Kabak had joined the Anfield giants earlier this year in the final hours of the January transfer window as Jurgen Klopp’s side fell short of options at the back owing to the injury crisis.
There’s “no chance” for Ozan Kabak to stay at Liverpool – confirmed. He’s leaving the club and Schalke are looking to sell him in Premier League or Bundesliga. #LFC will trigger Ibrahima Konate’s release clause in the next hours and so Kabak will leave. 🔴 #Liverpool https://t.co/HMqDRtABsy
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 26, 2021
And despite the young Turk impressing in his limited minutes on the pitch which were cut short due to a muscle injury in the backend of the recently concluded 2020-21 season, Liverpool have opted to make a swoop for the highly-rated Ibrahima Konate rather than extend Kabak’s tenure in the red of Merseyside, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Konate looks set to sign on as a Liverpool first-teamer in the coming days with the Frenchman already having agreed upon personal terms with the speculation being that the defender will put pen to paper on a five-year-long deal.
Liverpool have the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all injured until the start of the new season with the Van Dijk-Gomez pairing not even appearing in this summer’s Euros in order to hasten their rehabilitation programmes at Anfield.