Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands - December 7, 2021. Ajax Amsterdam's Perr Schuurs after the match.
Liverpool are ready to submit an offer to bring Torino defender Perr Schuurs to the Premier League and are in pole position for his services, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed
Football Insider reported in February that the Reds are willing to listen to offers for both Joel Matip and Nat Phillips this summer so backline reinforcements will be needed should they depart.
The Dutchman isn’t out of contract at the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium until 2026, but being a regular feature this season having made 20 Serie A starts under Ivan Juric, has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp.
The Merseyside outfit have recently been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old and it’s claimed that they are the ‘first to move’ to secure his services, though it sounds like they may now be ready to take it one step further.
The Latest: Liverpool ‘at the forefront’ and preparing bid
According to Italian outlet Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain are all keen on a deal for Schuurs, but it’s Klopp’s side that are currently ‘at the forefront’ of the race.
The Anfield outfit are ‘ready to offer’ a fee of €50m (£44m) to sign him during the upcoming window, but it turns out it’s not the first time the boss has had him on his radar.
The German manager ‘wanted’ the centre-back in 2020 with him and the hierarchy having ‘considered’ another approach last summer, though they never went as far as ‘sinking their teeth in’.
There is plenty of ‘fierce competition at the highest level’ for the defender whose agents have said that he already has several ‘juicy’ proposals on the table.
The Verdict: Gvardiol alternative?
Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol in recent months but Schuurs could prove to be the ideal and potentially much cheaper alternative.
The 6 foot 3 colossus currently averages 3.5 clearances and two aerial wins per league game highlighting the rock he can be at the heart of a backline but he is also strong in the offensive aspect of his play (WhoScored).
Torino’s tank, who is sponsored by Nike, has posted 37 goal contributions in 219 career outings showing the threat he provides when it comes to getting on the end of set pieces.
The Nieuwstadt native also knows what it takes to be successful having won six trophies during his spell at Ajax so would match the winning mentality that’s already on Merseyside.
Finally, Schuurs has been hailed a ‘top-class’ player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, making him the perfect candidate to put pen to paper ahead of the 2023/24 term.
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