Liverpool and Aston Villa ‘to target’ £20m Sunderland loanee Geertruida | OneFootball

Liverpool and Aston Villa are among the Premier League clubs monitoring Sunderland loanee Lutsharel Geertruida ahead of a possible summer move, according to TEAMtalk.

The 25-year-old versatile defender is on loan at the Stadium of Light from RB Leipzig and has made 27 appearances this season. Sunderland hold an option to buy at the end of the campaign.

Everton, Tottenham and Crystal Palace have also been linked. Any deal is thought to be around £20m, and while Sunderland appear well placed, the player’s preference could be pivotal, with interest outside England as well.

Liverpool made an attempt in January amid a defensive injury crisis, with Arne Slot viewing Geertruida, whom he previously worked with at Feyenoord, as a short-term solution. The move did not materialise after Sunderland failed to secure a replacement before the deadline.

Slot later said they tried to strengthen in the winter but the target was ultimately unavailable, adding that such an addition would have helped. Last month, Sunderland head coach Le Bris praised Geertruida’s versatility and acknowledged the complexity around his minutes and desire to start regularly, noting the World Cup is important in his thinking.

Source: Sunderland Echo