Liverpool ENTER the race to sign highly rated 18 year old Turkish wonderkid

Bence Bocsák

• 20 Jun 2024 14:00 BST
• 3 min read

It is not secret Liverpool are looking to bring in a left-sided defender this summer. There will be changes made to the club’s defensive set-up under Arne Slot and reinforcements are expected.

The likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié have been linked with a move to Anfield. However, according to reports from Turkey, it’s not just the duo who Liverpool’s recruitment team have set their sights on.

According to Turkish outlet, Aslinda, Liverpool have also identified 18-year-old left-back, Yasin Ozcan as a potential target for the club this summer.

Ozcan is extremely highly rated and despite only turning 18 years old in April of this year, he already has 60 first team appearances for Turkish Super Lig side, Kasimpasa, under his belt.

The report claims Besitkas are also interested in his services among a number of other European clubs. Transfermarkt values Ozcan at around £3.8m, and while Aslinda’s report does not mention a fee, it is expected he would cost Liverpool a lot more than that valuation.

A move for Ozcan would make sense for Liverpool. Especially, since he is equally adept at playing as a left-back and as a centre-back.

Last season, he played 22 games as a centre-back for Kasimpasa and 18 matches as a left-back. That kind of versatility is what Michael Edwards looks for in potential targets and it’s the kind of profile who would fit into Arne Slot’s new system very well at Liverpool.

Slot was known for using more defensive left-backs at Feyenoord. He would often deploy centre-back, David Hancko in that position and he could continue doing the same at Liverpool, too.

Based on the club’s recent targets like Calafiori, that certainly seems to be his vision going forward at Anfield.

And if that is the case, Ozcan could be a really smart purchase for Liverpool. As per Wyscout, among left-backs and centre-backs in the Turkish Super Lig, Ozcan ranked in fourth place for successful defensive actions (10.87 per 90) last season.