Ozan Kabak can be an ideal long-term solution to United’s defensive woes
According to the Sun, Jose Mourinho is interested to sign 18-year-old centre-back Ozan Kabak from Galatasaray in January but the Red Devils are likely to face stiff competition from Arsenal.
Arsenal manager Unai Emery is also keen on securing the services of the young Turk to cover for the absence of Rob Holding who is set to spend not less than nine months on the sidelines after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury against Manchester United. (h/t Sun)
Kabak, who made his Turkish SuperLig debut back in May last season, has caught the eye with his consistently impressive performances at the heart of the defence this term. The youngster is currently rated at £20million but Galatasaray are keen to tie him down to a new contract with a release clause of £30million to ward off the potential suitors. (h/t Sun)
Kabak has not only been a regular at the back for Galatasaray in the Turkish SuperLig but has also impressed with his solid displays in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.
With over 50 caps for Turkey at the youth level, Kabak has an impressive profile for an 18-year-old and his impressive breakthrough season at Galatasaray has made him a hot property in Europe.
Standing at 6ft. 1 inch, Kabak has a decent height for a centre-back and his agility and razor-sharp reflexes help him cope with his offensive counterparts. Known for his athleticism, Kabak has the ability to take off the ground quickly and combines his height with his upper body strength to beat the attackers in the air, making him a useful asset have while defending set-pieces and corners. The 18-year-old averages an impressive 2.7 successful aerial duels per game in the Champions League this term.
The Turkish youth international has a good technique which allows him to be comfortable with the ball at his feet and build-up the play from the back with short passes. A ball-playing centre-back, Kabak has a good range of passing and can set up attacks from a deep position with precise long balls. In fact, he has averaged 75.3 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 90.3 in the Champions League, including 4 successful long balls per game.
The 18-year-old has also shown good game-reading ability and sound positional sense for a player of his age. He is a good tackler and can break up the play with crucial interceptions. Kabak has averaged a staggering 4 tackles, 3,7 interceptions and 3.7 clearances per game in the Champions League.
To put things into perspective, he would be an ideal signing for either of the two clubs in question but Manchester United can do themselves a world of good by beating Arsenal to sign the Turkish sensation.
United currently sit 6th in the Premier League standings with 26 points from 16 games, just ahead of Bournemouth and Everton. The Red Devils will need to string together some consistent performances in the second half of the season to claim a Champions League spot next season.
United have been well below-par this season and their leaky backline has been one of the major causes of their undoing. Jose Mourinho’s men have conceded 26 goals so far, which is more than any of the teams above them in the table.
Intermittent injuries to Phil Jones, Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling have prevented Mourinho from fielding a settled combination at the heart of the defence.
Lindelof recovered from his early setbacks in the season to establish himself as a first-team regular before he was sidelined with a hamstring issue, leaving Mourinho short of options at the back. Consequently, the manager has been forced to field Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay as centre-backs, which has led to disastrous consequences.
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With the futures of Bailly and Jones at Old Trafford still uncertain, Manchester United need to bolster their options at the back and teenager Ozan Kabak is certainly a good option.
He is a player with a massive potential and has all the attributes to be a long-term solution to United’s defensive woes.
