Liverpool have made contact with Schalke regarding a possible swap deal involving defender Ozan Kabak and Divock Origi, according to Sky Germany transfer expert Max Behrenbeck:
@LFC hat über Tausch Origi gegen Kabak beraten. @s04 soll kontaktiert werden. Können wir bestätigen. Origi kommt bei Klopp derzeit ja kaum zum Zug. Liverpool will IV im Winter holen. Van Diijk und Gomez fehlen ja derzeit. @Sky_MaxB
— Marc Behrenbeck (@Sky_Marc) December 21, 2020
In his tweet, Behrenbeck stated that he had received confirmation that the Reds have made an approach to the Bundesliga club regarding a possible player exchange in the January transfer window:
“Liverpool advised on swapping Origi for Kabak. Schalke should be contacted. We can confirm. Origi is rarely used at Klopp at the moment. Liverpool want to get a four during the winter. Van Dijk and Gomez are currently missing.”
Kabak, who is valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, is one of a number of centre-backs that have been linked with Liverpool in recent months, with the Premier League champions keen to strengthen their options in the middle of defence.
With Origi having been valued at £20m by the Reds in the past, it seems this would be a straight swap deal if this was to go ahead next month. No English journalist has so far corroborated this story, though, and it must also be pointed out that some reporters have previously denied Liverpool’s interest in Kabak.