Liverpool have been monitoring Kasimpasa defender Yasin Ozcan for some time now
According to a report from Turkish outlet Aslinda, Liverpool have contacted Kasimpasa over a potential summer swoop for highly-rated defender Yasin Ozcan.
Arne Slot has taken the managerial reins from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. After guiding Feyenoord to two major honours in three years, the Dutchman would love to make an immediate impact at the Merseyside outfit. He is planning to bolster the squad over the summer transfer window, with quality acquisitions required to challenge Manchester City and Arsenal for the Premier League title in the 2024/25 campaign.
Following Joel Matip’s release, Liverpool’s defensive unit appears short in quality and depth. This makes the signing of a central defender an absolute necessity in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The Reds have been linked with several centre-backs in recent weeks and months. Kasimpasa’s Yasin Ozcan is the latest player to emerge as a target. Having risen through the youth ranks at Kasimpasa, Ozcan, 18 made his first-team debut in August 2022 and hasn’t looked back since then.
Despite only turning 18 back in April, the talented centre-back has already amassed 60 appearances for Kasimpasa. The 2023/24 turned out to be his breakout campaign, with the teenager making 40 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with three goals and an assist in the process as Kasimpasa finished fifth in the Super Lig.
Aslinda claims Ozcan’s performances in the Super Lig haven’t gone unnoticed, with Besiktas among the clubs keeping tabs on his progress. The Turkey under-21 international, who can operate as both centre-back and left-back, has been on Liverpool’s radar for a long time now.
Joel Matip’s exit on a free transfer leaves Arne Slot with just Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah as centre-back options in the squad. With Van Dijk set to turn 33 next month, Konate vulnerable to injuries, Quansah just breaking into the first team and Gomez largely operating at full-back last season, the Merseyside giants must sign two centre-backs this summer.
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In addition to an experienced player to plug the gap left by Matip in the squad, we must bring in a quality young centre-back. Ozcan, who was shortlisted for the 2024 Golden Boy Award, fits that criteria perfectly. His versatility to operate across the backline will also be a boon, which should help in providing cover for left-backs Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas when required.
Thus, Liverpool must not hesitate in tabling an offer to Kasimpasa for Ozcan with Benfica lurking.
