- Birthdate: 25 March 2000
- Birthplace: Ankara, Turkey
- Other clubs: Galatasaray (2017-19), Stuttgart (2019), Schalke 04 (2019-), Norwich City (loan 2021-)
- Bought from: Schalke 04
- Signed for LFC: £1.5m, 01.02.2021
- Liverpool debut: 13.02.2021
- Last appearance: 24.04.2021
- Win ratio: 46.15% W:6 D:3 L:4
- League games / goals / assists: 9 / 0 / 0
- Total games / goals / assists: 13 / 0 / 0
Player Profile
Turkish international centre back Ozan Kabak joined Liverpool on 1st February 2021, initially on loan for the remainder of he season. The agreement included an option to buy, which was reported at £18 million and could be activated in June 2021.
Kabak was born in Ankara in 2000 and joined Galatasaray's youth academy in 2011. He made his professional debut at the end of 2017/18 and in the following season made fourteen league appearances before joining Stuttgart in the January transfer window. He made fifteen Bundesliga appearances, scoring three goals including two in a 5-1 win over Hannover 96. Stuttgart were relegated at the end of 2018-19 but during the close season Schalke 04 activated a 15 million Euro release clause meaning he would remain in the Bundesliga for 2019/20. He played 26 times for Schalke in a season disrupted by Covid 19 and made his full international debut, appearing in Turkey's 2-0 win over Andorra in November 2019.
Long term injuries to all three senior centre backs at Liverpool meant the Reds made their move for Kabak in the January 2021 transfer window. He was recommended to Jurgen Klopp by his close friend David Wagner, who managed Schalke for 2019/20 and the first few games of 2020/21.
Kabak's first two appearances for the Reds ended in defeat and he was booked in each of them. As the season went on his from improved but he was ruled out of the last five games due to a muscle injury. Liverpool then declined the option to sign him on a permanent basis in the summer. He wrote an open letter to Liverpool fans thanking them for accepting him and saying he had learnt a lot in his four months at the club. He was an unused substitute in all three of Turkey's Euro 2020 games and and he returned to Schalke 04 who were keen to sell him following their relegation. On 30th August 2021 a deal was agreed for Kabak to go on loan to Norwich City for the 2020/21 season, with an option to buy.
Appearances per season
Season |
League |
FA |
LC |
Europe |
Other |
Total |
Totals |
9 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
13 |
2020-2021 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
13 |
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
2 |
180 |
Red Bull Leipzig |
2 |
141 |
Real Madrid |
1 |
90 |
Sheffield United |
1 |
90 |
Leeds United |
1 |
90 |
Newcastle United |
1 |
90 |
Chelsea |
1 |
90 |
Everton |
1 |
90 |
Wolves |
1 |
90 |
Leicester City |
1 |
89 |
Aston Villa |
1 |
84 |
Arsenal |
Total |
Started/substitutions |
13 |
Started |
1 |
On the bench |
0 |
Substitute |
4 |
Substituted |
Total |
Venue |
7 |
Away |
6 |
Home |
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
13.02.2021 |
Leicester City |
Filbert Street |
League |
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Galatasaray |
2017-2018 |
Turkey 1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Galatasaray |
2018-2019 |
Turkey 1 |
13 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
VfB Stuttgart |
2018-2019 |
Germany 1 |
15 |
3 |
17 |
3 |
Schalke 04 |
2019-2020 |
Germany 1 |
26 |
3 |
28 |
3 |
Schalke 04 |
2020-2021 |
Germany 1 |
14 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
Total |
69 |
6 |
77 |
6 |