Dutch defender Lutsharel Geertruida is known to have been ‘eager’ on a potential transfer to Liverpool within the January switch window till it was shut down.
The 19-cap Netherlands worldwide is on a season-long mortgage at Sunderland from RB Leipzig, and the Reds had been exploring a late-window mortgage transfer of their very own for the versatile right-back, with discussions understood to have taken place behind the scenes.
Nevertheless, the Monday night time deadline got here and went with none transaction happening, and the 25-year-old remained on the Stadium of Mild, coming off the bench for the ultimate jiffy of the Black Cat’s 3-0 win over Burnley.
Geertruida had been ‘eager’ on proposed Liverpool transfer
In an article for The Athletic on Tuesday morning, Andy Jones outlined that Geertruida had been wanting to reunite together with his former Feyenoord boss Arne Slot at Anfield, however there have been too many complexities to be resolved at such a late stage within the switch window.
He wrote: ‘Sporting director Richard Hughes explored a variety of choices forward of the deadline, together with making an attempt to get Lutsharel Geertruida on mortgage for the remainder of the season. The Dutchman was eager, having performed beneath Slot at Feyenoord, and his versatility was considered as an asset, as he can play right-back, centre-back or in midfield.
‘Nevertheless, it proved too advanced to tug off, as a result of Geertruida was already on mortgage at Sunderland from RB Leipzig. Liverpool would have wanted to pay compensation to persuade Sunderland to terminate their mortgage association, however the northeast membership additionally wanted to recruit a alternative and that was a stumbling block with the time pressures.’
Liverpool may’ve finished with Geertruida within the short-term
That the 25-year-old was already out on mortgage added additional complexity to a potential deal which might’ve been troublesome to tug off anyway attributable to Sunderland not having time to supply and recruit a alternative if he had left Wearside.
Liverpool went into the January switch window with three senior right-backs to name upon however ended it with just one because of the accidents to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, and Calvin Ramsay has barely been given a look-in by Slot.
Geertruida – who ranked in the highest 1% for proportion of aerial duels received per 90 minutes within the Bundesliga final season (FBref, through Sunderland Echo) – would’ve given the Reds a perfect pure right-back to compensate for Bradley’s absence till the summer season, together with cowl in different positions.
With the Black Cats unwilling to terminate their mortgage settlement, although, it signifies that LFC might want to plug the right-back hole with midfielders for the following few video games earlier than Frimpong returns, after which depend on the injury-plagued Dutchman to remain match for the remainder of the marketing campaign.
It was just too late within the switch window for a deal for Geertruida to return off, however the 25-year-old’s obvious eagerness to affix Liverpool could be famous by Anfield chiefs for a future date in the event that they had been to reignite their curiosity in him additional down the road…
