Liverpool have opened talks with Schalke to sign Turkish centre-back Ozan Kabak, according to reports in Germany.
The Premier League champions are expected to be in the market for a new central defender this summer if Dejan Lovren leaves the club.
Earlier this week, widespread reports claimed that Lovren is on the verge of joining Zenit St Petersburg in a £10.9 million deal.
According to Bild, Jurgen Klopp has already identified Lovren’s replacement as Liverpool have made a move to sign Kabak from Schalke.
The report claims that Liverpool and the Bundesliga club are now in talks over a potential deal this summer.
But Schalke are demanding €35m (£31.8m) for the 20-year-old, who was signed from Stuttgart in a €15m (£13.5m) deal last summer.
Kabak also has a release clause in his contract with Schalke which would allow him to leave the club next summer for €45m (£41m).
Kabuk, who won his first senior cap for Turkey in November, is also a huge admirer of Virgil van Dijk.
‘My personal aim is to become a top defender in maybe two or three years, like Virgil van Dijk. He’s my idol, I really like him,’ the 20-year-old said earlier this season.
‘I like his style and how he plays, so I can say he’s my football idol’
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