Transfer Centre

Paul Merson questions Liverpool move for Schalke's Ozan Kabak

By Ben Knapton, Senior ReporterPublished: 01 February 2021 9:20 PM

Paul Merson claims that the agent of Schalke defender Ozan Kabak should be knighted for securing a move to Liverpool for his client.

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has said that he cannot believe Schalke 04 defender Ozan Kabak is on the verge of a move to Liverpool.

Despite securing the signature of Preston North End's Ben Davies on deadline day, the Premier League champions are understood to be closing in on an initial loan move for Kabak.

The deal reportedly also includes an £18m option to buy, and Merson has expressed his surprise that a defender from the Bundesliga's basement side is now set to link up with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Merson said: "He honestly cannot believe his luck. I mean if you're his agent, you'd look to be knighted. You've just gone to the champions, and you've won one game all season. I'm shocked, it's really shocked me.

"If Liverpool had have drawn with West Ham, you'd have said that wasn't very good, because it's Liverpool. If Schalke go and draw somewhere, it's party time. That different mentality has to get into him as quickly as possible.

"I just think it's about bodies. If Jordan Henderson got injured and one of the young lads got injured, you've got nobody there and you can't be left with nobody. These aren't £80m centre-halves, they probably won't play, but they're there just in case."

Kabak has turned out 14 times during Schalke's abysmal 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign, and an initial £1m loan fee - potentially with another £500,000 in performance-related bonuses - is said to have been agreed between the two clubs.