Manager goes public over player being offered to Liverpool – Former Reds man key in building transfer deal

Liverpool’s move for Ozan Kabak was initiated by the German club, not as part of a long-term plan from Anfield’s hierarchy.

That’s according to Schalke manager Christian Gross, who insists the deal only happened because they offered the player to the Premier League champions.

Kabak joined Liverpool on deadline day of the January transfer window, initially signing a six-month loan deal at the club until the end of the season.

That deal includes a purchase option that the Reds can activate before June 30th with many believing that will happen once Kabak has settled in Jurgen Klopp’s side.

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The late deal was very much presented as Liverpool acting upon a long-term strategy that they had in place, with Kabak a known target from being linked with a move to Anfield throughout the previous summer.

Gross, though, says otherwise and insists it was they, specifically former Liverpool defender Phillip Degen, who initiated contact and got the ball rolling at the end of the window.

“He (Degen) is super networked in football,” he told Blick.

“Without him, Mustafi would not have come to us. He came because Philipp called Jürgen Klopp. Because Philipp knew that Liverpool were looking for a central defender.

“And he asked whether Liverpool was interested in Ozan Kabak – so Philipp knew that Schalke could possibly give Kabak to Liverpool – and he could bring Mustafi to Schalke.

“In any case, the changes from Kabak and Mustafi came about thanks to the efforts of Philipp Degen. But we are completely independent of each other financially.”