Liverpool have made a serious move for Schalke defender Ozan Kabak.

The Mirror says Liverpool have opened talks with Schalke about a £20million New Year swoop for young defender Kabak.

The Reds told the Bundesliga club that they want to take the 20-year-old Turkish centre-back to Anfield after learning they had lost Virgil van Dijk for the season with a torn cruciate ligament.

Jurgen Klopp is a big admirer of Kabak – and Liverpool would have made their move in the summer had the pandemic not struck to limit their transfer spend.

Schalke valued Kabak at £40million before Europe's lockdown ravaged the game's finances.

They are still looking to bank £30million but Liverpool are preparing a deal that would see them pay an initial £20million with further payments loaded into the deal.

Van Dijk is not expected to play again this season after suffering serious knee damage from a challenge by Everton's Jordan Pickford in last weekend's Merseyside derby.