Celik is said to be a target of Fulham'splaceholder image
Celik is said to be a target of Fulham's | Getty Images
Liverpool only need to tinker with their squad in the summer but one name being linked is a surprise.
A club the size of Liverpool will always be linked with players from across the globe, sometimes the interest is genuine, sometimes their name is dropped in for other reasons.
Whether it is by agents trying to get their players a move somewhere else, or to get them a better contract, it helps to make a club think that they could lose key assets. This is especially true when a link doesn’t really make much sense.
Liverpool looking for defensive reinforcements
Liverpool took the brave decision last summer of trying to move on from the Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold era at the same time. Two players who, at their peak, were capable of contributing to 50 goals between them a season, mainly through assists from out wide.
Milos Kerkez has gradually improved and Jeremie Frimpong has shown flashes of what he is capable of but neither have looked remotely close to being able to generate the sheer volume of chances that the former full-back duo used to be able to provide. In the summer, unless there are departures, it would be a surprise to see new full-backs arrive, unless they are as understudies for Frimpong and Kerkez.
Celik’s agent breaks silence on Liverpool speculation
This is why Zeki Celik’s name being mentioned as a Liverpool target is a surprise. At 29-years old, his profile is instantly different to recent signings, although he has a similar versatility to Joe Gomez, but without the injury history. With Juventus also “interested” the suspicion that the dark arts ahead of a potential summer move are at play. As reported by Calciomercato, the defender's agent has denied claims of any agreement with Juve, with Fazil Ozdemir also confirming that there are teams in the Premier League who are sniffing about: "The rumours that Zeki has reached an agreement with a club are not accurate.
"He currently plays for a major club, and it is natural that major teams in Italy and England would show interest in a player competing at this level and that his name would be associated with those clubs."
Continue Reading