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Schalke defender Malick Thiaw responds to Liverpool speculation

Liverpool-linked defender Malick Thiaw admits he is flattered by links to the Premier League champions but insists he made the right decision staying at Schalke.

Schalke 04 defender Malick Thiaw has admitted that he is flattered by links to Liverpool but is fully focused on performing in Germany.

Jurgen Klopp is facing a defensive crisis at Anfield with first-choice centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez facing lengthy spells on the sidelines, while Joel Matip has been in the wars as well.

The Reds have since been linked with a number of top centre-backs - namely Kalidou Koulibaly and Dayot Upamecano - to solve their problem, while Thiaw is also believed to be on the radar of the Premier League champions.

However, the 19-year-old affirmed that he is committed to Schalke after signing an extension with the Bundesliga side back in July, telling Schalke TV: "Of course you're happy when big clubs are after you, but it was actually clear to me that I would stay at Schalke."

The centre-back - who is eligible to represent Germany, Senegal or Finland at international level - already has one Bundesliga goal to his name this season and is contracted to Schalke until 2024.

As well as losing Van Dijk and Gomez to potentially season-ending injuries, Liverpool have also seen Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara suffer problems of their own, while Mohamed Salah recently tested positive for coronavirus.

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Ben Knapton
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured on November 8, 2020
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3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
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10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
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17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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