Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida was in attendance for Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at West Ham on Saturday and “would love” to follow Arne Slot to Anfield.
Sources in the Netherlands claim Geertruida, who has worn the captain’s armband for Slot’s Feyenoord this season, is “ready for a transfer.”
De Telegraaf‘s Marcel van der Kraan reports on the 23-year-old’s trip to the London Stadium, which came during time off from training with Feyenoord.
Van der Kraan reports that Geertruida “would love” to join Slot in making the switch to Liverpool, while Feyenoord are “already expecting his departure.”
The Dutch club, who have agreed a compensation package to allow their manager to replace Jurgen Klopp this summer, “know that the defender wants to make a big step in his career.”
Geertruida will enter the final year of his contract this summer and it is described as “unthinkable” for Feyenoord to allow him to depart on a free transfer.
That means that, unless the Netherlands international were to sign a new deal, Feyenoord will need to sell him in the next transfer window.
A fee of €30 million (£25.7m) was quoted to RB Leipzig last year, with this valuation held up if Liverpool were to make an approach.
It remains to be seen whether there is interest from Merseyside, of course, or whether links with Geertruida are simply due to his relationship with Slot.
While Slot will be consulted on future signings, it has been made patently clear that the 45-year-old will arrive as head coach, rather than a manager, with recruitment in the hands of sporting director Richard Hughes.
Geertruida could be an attractive prospect for Liverpool nonetheless, given his age, potential, experience and versatility.
Turning 24 in July, the Feyenoord academy graduate has already played 195 times for the club, doing so most regularly as a right-back but also operating as a centre-back, left-back and defensive midfielder.
Twenty-five of those appearances have come as captain, with Slot trusting him as the most-used player of his entire managerial career.
Liverpool are due to see Joel Matip depart on the expiry of his contract this summer, which will open up a spot in the squad for at least one defender.
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