In a recent podcast hosted by De Telegraaf (transcripted and translated by The Daily Express), Dutch journalist Mike Verweijj provided an update on Liverpool‘s pursuit of Ajax defender Perr Schuurs and said, “An amount of 30million will be attached.
“If Marc Overmars gets the chance, I think he will do it immediately.
“I checked at Ajax and there is no concrete interest from Liverpool.
“After the match against Liverpool, the Liverpool delegation was impressed by Schuurs. He is on a list.”
Jurgen Klopp had previously signed Takumi Minamino from Red Bull Salzburg after being left impressed by his performance in last season’s Champions League clash at Anfield. Hence, it won’t be a surprise to see him do the same for Schuurs, especially if he can produce another impressive performance versus the Reds on Tuesday night.
Schuurs’ Impressive Form At Amsterdam This Season
The Dutch prospect has been a prominent feature in Erik ten Hag’s first XI this season as he has put in some solid displays on the defensive end of the field. He has participated in 13 matches for Ajax this term, picking up two yellow cards and receiving 1075 minutes of playing time in the process across all competitions.
The 21-year-old has found some consistency in terms of his defensive contributions based on his average 1.2 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 1.9 clearances and 0.9 shots per game in the Dutch Eredivisie and the UEFA Champions League group stages this season. The Nieuwstadt-born talent has taken care of the ball well when distributing it out from the back as evidenced by his pass success rate of 90.9% in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The Dutch Whizkid Bring To The Table?
Schuurs has proven himself to be a capable defender at the back and has done remarkably well to establish himself as a regular starter under ten Hag’s tutelage this season. Standing at 1.91m, he can be a towering presence in defence and has shown great desire to earn possession back for his side. The Dutch sensation is also not afraid to use his body to overpower the opposition and make a few crucial clearances for his team. However, he still has a lot to learn before he is ready to be a top performer at the highest level.
Should The Reds Move In For Schuurs In January?
At the moment, Klopp is going through an injury crisis in defence as both Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk are out of action with long-term injuries. There are also some serious question marks over Joel Matip’s fitness while Klopp has often played Fabinho out of position as a makeshift centre-back.
The Reds cannot rely on the likes of Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams to play week in week out for the remainder of this campaign. Hence, it makes sense for the Merseyside outfit to make a move for someone like Schuurs, who is a player on the rise and could serve as a quick fix to their defensive concerns.
