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

Liverpool are among Premier League clubs tracking Sunderland loanee Lutsharel Geertruida ahead of the summer window, according to TEAMtalk. The Dutch international is on loan from RB Leipzig.

The 25-year-old has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season, and Sunderland retain an option to buy at the end of the campaign. Aston Villa, Everton, Tottenham and Crystal Palace are also said to be interested.

Any deal is understood to be around £20 million. While Sunderland’s option gives them an edge, the player’s preference could prove decisive, with interest believed to extend beyond England.

Liverpool previously explored a January move during a defensive injury spell, with Arne Slot, who worked with Geertruida at Feyenoord, viewing him as a short-term solution. The approach stalled because Sunderland were unable to source a replacement before the deadline.

Slot later explained that the club tried to strengthen in winter but the player discussed was not available, adding they felt reinforcements would have helped.

Last month, Black Cats head coach Le Bris praised Geertruida’s ability to cover multiple roles, noting it can complicate nailing down one position. He said the defender’s push to be a regular starter is natural, and that a World Cup on the horizon weighs on his thinking.

Source: Sunderland Echo