Liverpool
Premier League • England
Klopp orders Liverpool to complete £34.3m signing that’ll wreck West Ham, Crystal Palace plans
Jurgen Klopp has urged the Liverpool hierarchy to ‘ do whatever it takes’ to sign Torino centre-back Perr Schuurs this summer, according to reports.
The 23-year-old has been in fine form after ditching Ajax for the Serie A last summer, which has caught the attention of several European clubs.
It’s no secret that Klopp wants to add another quality centre-back to his squad. So, they are now expected to table a concrete offer for Schuurs in the near future.
However, Liverpool face competition for the defender. West Ham United are the latest club to enter the race, while Crystal Palace are also believed to hold an interest in Schuurs.
So, for the Reds, it is imperative they make an offer now before anyone else swoops in for his signature.
Last season, Schuurs made 30 Serie A appearances for Torino. In the process, he put in some excellent defensive performances and helped his team to nine clean sheets.
Born in the Netherlands, Schuurs could potentially form a Dutch defensive duo with Virgil van Dijk next season, if Liverpool can get a deal over the line.
Klopp is desperate to sign Schuurs
Now, according to TuttoSport (via the Daily Express), Klopp has told Liverpool’s owners to sign Schuurs this summer, after making him his primary defensive target.
The report claims that the Reds are ‘ready to go back to Torino with an offer of €40m (£34.3m)’, having seen a €30m (£25.7m) bid rejected for the Dutchman
Apparently, Klopp has been keen on Schuurs for over two years and is ‘imploring’ with the Reds hierarchy to make an increased offer.
Standing at 6ft3, Schuurs is an imposing figure on the pitch and is excellent in the air. Also, he averages 1.97 tackles per match, which ranks him among the top 19% of centre-backs in Europe’s five main leagues in the last 12 months.
Given the inconsistent performances of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez for Liverpool last season, it’s clear to see why Klopp wants to bolster that area.
But, as mentioned, West Ham and Crystal Palace also hold a concrete interest in Schuurs. So, Liverpool will have to make an offer quickly to ensure Klopp gets his man.