Schalke Sporting Director Rouven Schroder expects Ozan Kabak to complete a move away from the Veltins Arena ‘in a timely manner’ amid interest from Tottenham and Newcastle.
Schroder has confirmed to Kicker that Schalke need to sell Kabak after he returned from a loan spell at Liverpool. The Turkey centre-half spent the latter half of last season at Anfield, but failed to earn a permanent switch.
Liverpool’s deal for the 21-year-old featured a €23m (£20m) option to buy, which Bild claim Jurgen Klopp personally rejected. Now, Kicker expect Schalke will sell Kabak for just €15m (£13m) as they cannot afford to keep him this summer.
Schalke cannot afford to cover Kabak’s £34,000-per-week salary, like many of their players, after relegation from the Bundesliga. Die Konigsblauen hoped the 12-cap stopper standing out at Euro 2020 would help increase their asking price, but he did not play a single minute.
Yet Kabak has suitors in the Premier League with Tottenham, Newcastle and Leicester all interested. The Sun reported in May that Steve Bruce and Brendan Rodgers were keeping tabs on his situation. While TuttoMercatoWEB noted Spurs could make a move last month.
Schroder has now offered Tottenham, Newcastle and Leicester hope, by confirming Kabak is on the market and admitting that Schalke expect he will leave the Veltins Arena soon.
“Ozan is positioned in the player market in such a way that I believe that the transfer can also work in a timely manner,” Schroder said. “We can assume that it is also his own claim that he will face greater challenges.”
Schroder offers Tottenham and Newcastle hope of signing Schalke defender Kabak
Schroder has certainly offered Tottenham and Newcastle hope in their pursuits of Schalke defender Kabak this summer. His comments prove the Veltins Arena natives are desperate to part with the Turkey ace and, preferably, soon.
Schalke lowering their valuation of the Galatasaray product will also be great news for the Toon. The Sun’s report of Newcastle and Leicester’s interest added neither were keen to meet Kabak’s request for an £80k-p/w contract.
But now that Kabak will cost less in terms of a transfer fee, Newcastle may be more forthcoming with a lucrative wage if it means they beat Tottenham to his signature.
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