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#3 Ozan Kabak | Schalke
Another central defender who has been heavily linked with Liverpool, Ozan Kabak could be the one Jurgen Klopp turns to in the January transfer window. The towering Turk is one of the most exciting defenders in the Bundesliga and was wanted by Bayern Munich before he sealed a move to Schalke from Stuttgart.
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Kabak is already a household name in Germany and is a full Turkish international at the age of 20, as he continues to turn heads across Europe with his performances. The Schalke defender, who idolizes Virgil van Dijk, was also wanted by AC Milan in the summer, but the move failed to come to fruition.
With Schalke in a state of financial turmoil and the 20-year-old available for as little as £22 million, Liverpool could look to capitalize on the situation and snap him up in January.
#2 Dayot Upamecano | RB Leipzig
Despite being just 22 years of age, Dayot Upamecano is already an indispensable member of an exciting RB Leipzig team and recently made his debut for the French national team. The towering defender, who was believed to be a target for Manchester United last summer, has a release clause in his contract that allows him to leave for a fee believed to be in the region of £40 million.
Upamecano delivered a string of magnificent displays in the UEFA Champions League last season, as Julian Naglesmann's side were beaten in the semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain. The Frenchman has all the necessary tools to become one of the best defenders in world football and is on the brink of a big-money move.
Liverpool have also been linked to the defender, and the Reds could use their good relationship with Leipzig to sort out a deal for him in January.
#1 Jules Kounde | Sevilla
Sevilla defender Jules Kounde delivered a series of eye-catching displays in his side's dream UEFA Europa League run last summer. While all eyes were on central defensive partner Diego Carlos, it could be argued that the Frenchman is the more talented of the two, as he continues to go from strength to strength.
Koude is lightning quick and has also shown that his positional sense is amongst the best in the business. Additionally, he is also capable of playing the ball out from the back and has all the necessary qualities to succeed in a top team. Manchester city reportedly tabled a bid for him earlier this summer before snapping up Ruben Dias, but Sevilla stood firm on their valuation and refused to part with their prized asset.
The 22-year-old also has keen admirers at Real Madrid and won't come cheap. However, if Liverpool are looking for a premium central defender in January, Kounde might well be the pick of the bunch for Klopp and co.
