According to reports from Italy, Liverpool remain persistent in their pursuit of a summer transfer target who’s hinted that he could be open to a move.
Toro.it have reported that neither the Reds nor Crystal Palace are giving up in their hopes of landing Perr Schuurs from Torino, whose president Urbano Cairo has set an asking price of €40m (£34.3m) for the centre-back.
While the report stated that the 23-year-old has maintained ‘great dedication and professionalism’ amid the ongoing speculation over his future, the Dutchman has told fans of his current club that he’s unsure if he’ll stay put.
Amid the focus on Liverpool’s midfield over the past couple of weeks amid the departure of Jordan Henderson and prospective exit of Fabinho, it seems Jurgen Klopp is still seeking defensive reinforcements.
That should come as no surprise, with the Reds conceding 49 goals in the Premier League last term (the most in a full campaign under the German) and shipping six in their first two pre-season friendlies this month.
If Levi Colwill proves too difficult to lure from Chelsea, Schuurs could be well worth pursuing, even if he wouldn’t give LFC the predominantly left-footed centre-back they’re currently lacking.
The 6 foot 3 Dutchman recorded a passing accuracy of 88.2% in Serie A last term, with Virgil van Dijk the only Reds defender to post a higher return for that metric in the 2022/23 top flight (WhoScored).
The Torino powerhouse is also adept at breaking up opposition attacks, with a match average of 1.97 tackles placing him among the top 20% of centre-backs in Europe’s five main leagues for that quality (FBref).
With Schuurs seemingly leaving the door open to a potential exit, and Liverpool’s defence still with plenty of scope for improvement, Klopp may well be urging the Anfield hierarchy to push for the 23-year-old over the coming weeks.
#Ep83 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones