Liverpool complete Ozan Kabak loan signing

Liverpool have completed the signing of Schalke 04 defender Ozan Kabak on loan until the end of the season.

The 20-year-old has been linked to a number of Premier League clubs in recent transfer windows, with his performances in the Bundesliga drawing the attention of teams across Europe.

Schalke have struggled this season, though, and are thought to be in serious financial difficulty, allowing Liverpool to strike a deadline day deal for the centre-back.

Kabak will spend the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign on loan with the Premier League champions, while the deal is also understood to include an £18m option to buy which does not need to be triggered until June.

The Turkey international provides an extra option in defence for a Liverpool side that has suffered a string of injury blows in that area of the field, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho - Liverpool's four main centre-backs - all currently sidelined.

Kabak, who will wear the number 19 shirt at Anfield, becomes Liverpool's second centre-back signing of deadline day following the arrival of Ben Davies from Preston North End.

The youngster is not expected to feature in Wednesday's Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, having completed the formalities of the deal in Germany ahead of his arrival on Merseyside later this week.