Ozan Kabak issues transfer plea to Liverpool as the season draws to a close

The on-loan Schalke defender succumbed to injury at the wrong time... but he may have done enough to justify a permanent stay

Noses were turned up at Ozan Kabak, whose name invited sneers from rival fans more than aware of his parent club’s poor positioning in the Bundesliga.

With the Bundesliga season having since drawn to a close, confirming Schalke’s relegation from the German top-flight, the young defender’s prospects, by comparison, are considerably more promising.

Though an injury has put something of a downer on the latter stages of his loan spell, one could certainly be forgiven for thinking that the centre-half has done enough to at least be considered for a permanent switch to Merseyside.

“It’s Liverpool. Of course I want to stay,” the 21-year-old told The Times.

“These five months have been very valuable for my career, my personality. I have met with very good people, very good footballers.

“I have worked with a manager like Jurgen. Now I have a lot of experience with these stars. I would say they are stars. There are a lot of stars on our team. Even to train with them makes you better.

“You progress with your game even in training. Yes, these five months have been very good for me, I think, regardless of whether I stay or not.

“Jurgen has not said anything yet (about my future). We don’t speak about this topic so far.”

You couldn’t possibly find a more blatant ‘please keep me’ plea unless the Turk plans on camping outside Jurgen Klopp’s office for the remainder of his time at Anfield, waving about his CV about on a placard until he’s blue in the face.

For £18m on an option-to-buy, it’s hardly the most extravagant fee one might be expected to pay for a talent many consider to have a bright future.

The only potential stickler relates to our final league position come Sunday, not to mention our general transfer plans.

Should the minimum goal of Champions League qualification be achieved in semi-dramatic fashion on the final day of the Premier League season, there can surely be no qualms over the aforementioned fee.

When one considers that we could guarantee the future of our backline for the next decade with both Konate and Kabak for roughly £50m or so, it seems something of a no-brainer.

Let’s not be quick to forget Joel Matip’s continuing injury struggles either when working out the logic of a potential move for the pair.

It all makes sense but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that it will come to pass, and heads may be swayed yet by the remarkable performances of Nathaniel Phillips.