Liverpool revive interest in Schalke centre-back Ozan Kabak

Liverpool have revived interest in a deal for Schalke defender Ozan Kabak after seeing a deal for Marseille’s Duje Caleta-Car fall.

Kabak saw a move to Newcastle collapse this weekend and Liverpool have enquired about the option to take him on loan for £1.5million with view to making the deal permanent for around £16m in the summer.

Jurgen Klopp has long admired 20-year-old Turkey international Kabak though he is prone to the odd error. He is combative and well suited to the Premier League.

Liverpool have revived interest in Schalke defender Ozan Kabak (left) on transfer deadline day

Liverpool had been interested in Duje Caleta-Car (left) but that deal has collapsed

Talks are ongoing with cash-strapped Schalke willing to strike a deal now. Kabak wants a contract worth around £80,000-per-week and the deadline in Germany is the same as in the UK, at 5:00pm.

The move accelerated with news Caleta Car is staying at Marseille as time was against them to find a replacement.

The French club’s sporting director Pablo Longoria has been sifting through a number of alternatives suggested to him over the weekend but Marseille want an EU player to replace Caleta-Car and realistically could only sign one on loan. 

France’s transfer deadline is 5pm today and logistically they believe that will prove too much of an obstacle to get the Croatia international’s dream move completed.

The 24-year-old Caleta-Car is understood to be devastated at seeing the transfer fall at the final hurdle. 

Kabak is a combative defender and is thought to be well-suited to the Premier League

Caleta-Car is said to be devastated that the move from Marseille could not get over the line

He had agreed to join Liverpool and was due to take a flight to Manchester to finalise terms before Marseille stopped negotiations. 

They had originally believed another defender could be found but clubs have been reluctant to allow players out that sit within Marseille’s budget.

Liverpool have Ben Davies arriving for his medical this morning ahead of his proposed £1.6million move from Preston North End with Sepp van den Berg going on loan in the opposite direction. 

Preston have an option to make the Dutchman’s deal permanent if he plays a set amount of games.

Ben Davies is to undergo a medical at Liverpool ahead of his proposed £1.6million move