Liverpool: 3 reasons signing Ozan Kabak is a stroke of genius

2. Ozan Kabak was one of the Bundesliga’s best a year ago

Schalke has been an unmitigated disaster since the second half of the 2019-2020 season, as they nearly set the record for the longest winless streak in German football history. American striker Matthew Hoppe and Moroccan attacking midfielder Amine Harit saved that from happening, but it’s safe to say that the Royal Blues are not exactly a place for a young defender to succeed.

Even so, Kabak, before Schalke’s woeful downturn in form, was shining in Gelsenkirchen at one point. He had a very good 2019-2020 campaign, particularly in the Hinrunde. Schalke had just purchased him from recently-relegated Stuttgart, and he had finally earned a starting spot after injuries to Benjamin Stambouli and Salif Sane in a competitive back four.

Kabak wowed Bundesliga observers with his passing range, strong defensive work in the tackle, and ability to outsmart faster players with his body positioning. He looked like a natural.

Poor discipline in terms of bookings and inconsistent defensive work has plagued Kabak in 2020-2021, but he’s surely been discouraged as a young defender by playing on a dysfunctional team that is dead last in the Bundesliga. Now, Kabak has a chance to show Liverpool and the rest of the world that he is indeed a future world-class center back. Playing for a manager like Jurgen Klopp on a winning team like Liverpool could do the trick. A change in scenery can do wonders.