Speaking on Sky Sports’ Pitch to Post Preview, Graeme Souness has tipped Ozan Kabak to become a real asset for Liverpool.
The Turkish defender has only played one Premier League game so far since joining the Reds on deadline day in January, and despite the fact he didn’t get off to the best of starts in English football, Souness believes there is more to come from him.
“I think he’s a good player, he’s finding his feet in our football, and I think he’ll be fine. Looking at him, first impressions, we’re quick to judge people one way or the other in our football, he’s a young man and he’s only a young guy, he’s finding out about the players he’s training with every day and it’s a completely different environment,” Souness said.
“He’ll be welcomed at that football club and he’ll be welcomed in that city and I think he looks like someone who could be an asset going forward for Liverpool.
“I’m not sure if the manager has settled on a partner long-term for van Dijk, he might be the one.”
This is great to hear, especially from a pundit like Souness.
Rightly or wrongly, Souness has garnered a reputation of being something of a tough critic with his punditry in recent years, but he seems to have taken a shining to Kabak.
The 20-year-old is only at Liverpool on loan, so the idea of him being a long-term partner for van Dijk may be a bit pre-emptive, but the Reds do have an option to buy him, so there is a chance that he stays beyond this season.
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