Schalke 04 defender Malick Thiaw has admitted that he is flattered by links to Liverpool but is fully focused on performing in Germany.

Jurgen Klopp is facing a defensive crisis at Anfield with first-choice centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez facing lengthy spells on the sidelines, while Joel Matip has been in the wars as well.

The Reds have since been linked with a number of top centre-backs - namely Kalidou Koulibaly and Dayot Upamecano - to solve their problem, while Thiaw is also believed to be on the radar of the Premier League champions.

However, the 19-year-old affirmed that he is committed to Schalke after signing an extension with the Bundesliga side back in July, telling Schalke TV: "Of course you're happy when big clubs are after you, but it was actually clear to me that I would stay at Schalke."

The centre-back - who is eligible to represent Germany, Senegal or Finland at international level - already has one Bundesliga goal to his name this season and is contracted to Schalke until 2024.

As well as losing Van Dijk and Gomez to potentially season-ending injuries, Liverpool have also seen Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara suffer problems of their own, while Mohamed Salah recently tested positive for coronavirus.