Italian agent reveals Liverpool, Tottenham failed with summer bids for Ajax centre-back now starring in Serie A

Italian agent George Gardi has revealed that Premier League duo Liverpool and Tottenham both failed to convince Perr Schuurs to join from Ajax before his summer transfer to Torino.

Centre-back Schuurs had made a big impression at the Eredivisie champions and earned himself an £8million summer switch to Serie A as a result. However, things could have worked out very differently for the 22-year-old.

Schurrs has so far made three appearances for Torino, having not completed 90 minutes in three outings for Ajax before his exit.

Overall, the young defender made 95 appearances for the Dutch giants. And his impressive form saw attracting plenty of interest from other clubs, as well at Torino.

Italian agent George Gardi worked as an intermediary during negotiations over Schuurs’ move to Torino. And Gardi has revealed that Liverpool, Spurs and PSG all wanted the player.

Discussing the first contact he had with Torino’s sporting director, Davide Vagnati, Gardi told Tuttosport: “He seemed crazy to me. The first time the director expressed Torino’s willingness to take Perr it seems to me we were faced with something unthinkable to materialise.

“Over the time, clubs of the calibre of Tottenham, Liverpool or PSG had moved to take the player.

“The operation, as I told you, was long, but fair and in some passages even pleasant. In addition to Liverpool, Tottenham, PSG and three Italian clubs also wanted Schuurs.

“However, having taken a path, we went on to follow it without delay, even with a strong conviction. Thanks to Torino, I am sure Schuurs can become a pillar of the Dutch national team.

“Now he is part of the tour, but the ambition is to be a protagonist.

Ajax resistance breaks over Schuurs

“At one point it was decisive, because Ajax resisted. But then decided to please the player who had asked for the sale. Without the precise intention expressed by Perr, Vagnati’s idea would have remained as such.

“Instead, we managed to give life to an idea that, when it was presented to me, really seemed to me to be on the verge of impossible.

“We have exceeded these limits, and now Schuurs is enjoying Torino. As much as I hope that the club and the fans can enjoy ever better performances from Perr.”

Links to Liverpool appear a little off  the mark, given their centre-back numbers.

Jurgen Klopp already has Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez to pick from, while Fabinho can also slot in at a push.

Adding another defender into that mix would have meant Schuurs struggling for game time, despite his bargain price.

Tottenham, however, were in the market for another central defender but ended up signing Clement Lenglet instead. Meanwhile, Cristian Romero’s move was also turned into a permanent one at £45million.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici is said to have pulled out of the Schuurs deal after Lenglet’s loan arrival.

Schuurs will now continue his development at Torino, while the player is also on the fringes of the senior Holland squad.

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