Scout report of Liverpool's defensive target

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Bengaluru, Nov 18: When a player gets linked with Liverpool, immediately the entire football world takes notice. Such has been Liverpool's scouting and data analysis team's prolificacy in recent years following the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as the manager that Liverpool have become the role model of recruitment.

Almost every signing under Klopp has been spot on regardless of the transfer fee and it is no wonder why every top club looks to emulate their strategy. A player who has been widely regarded as a Liverpool target in recent times is Schalke defender Ozak Kabak and we have seen his stock rise significantly due to that.

In this article, we will take a look at the 20-year-old Turkish international who could well be on his way to Anfield in January as Klopp's answer to his extraordinary injury crisis in defence.

Style of pay

Still just 20 years of age and very much in his development phase, it is hard to judge what kind of a defender Kabak exactly is. Despite a frame of 6'1" which can be deemed as relatively short for defenders, Kabak is exceptional in the air which is evident from his average of 3 aerial duels won per game.

This only suggests that he is an extraordinary jumper and has the hunger to make up for his height. The 20-year-old uses his excellent aerial ability to great effect and is a threat at both end of the pitch, with 4 of his 6 Bundesliga goals being scored with his head.

In terms of style of play, Kabak is a lot similar to Real Madrid's legendary captain Sergio Ramos. As and out and out defender, Ramos might not be among the best in the world but there is something special about him that makes him unique and Kabak has everything in his locker to become as good as Ramos.

He is very strong, athletic and has an incredible pace for a centre-back. And, his positioning, reading of the game and last-ditch tackles are part of his obvious strengths which has helped him to be a remarkable defender.

Like many all-rounded defenders, Kabak actually started his career as a striker and was eventually moulded into a central defender. And, that is more than visible in his game. Kabak excels on the ball and can carry the ball forward himself into advanced areas as well as dictating the tempo of the game from deeper areas.

For a struggling team like Schalke, he has managed a passing accuracy of 87% this season which speaks volumes about his passing ability and confidence on the ball and he also does no shy away from launching long balls which is evident from his 2.3 long balls attempted per game.

Another area where the young defender excels is his excellent discipline. He has just four yellow cards in the last two seasons combined and that too while playing for an under-performing side which shows that he does not make rash challenges.

Two of the biggest strengths of Kabak's game are his excellent positioning and ability to recover when the ball is lost. For a team like Liverpool who like to play a very high line, both are absolutely necessary and these make him an ideal fit for Liverpool's system.

With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez both injured and Joel Matip left as the only senior central defender, Liverpool signing a new centre-back is quintessential and Kabak ticks every box for being a solid recruitment by the Reds. He is young and talented and is also unlikely to cost a fortune. Also, he should not mind being the fourth-choice defender for a team like Liverpool who are among the very best in the continent right now.