90min

Liverpool 'Offer €30m' for Ajax Starlet Perr Schuurs

By Andrew Headspeath

21-year-old Perr Schuurs has been compared to Matthijs de Ligt
21-year-old Perr Schuurs has been compared to Matthijs de Ligt / ANP Sport/Getty Images
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Liverpool have 'opened the dialogue' with Ajax for defender Perr Schuurs according to one report, with an offer of €30m on the table.

The Reds' defensive injury crisis has been much discussed in recent weeks and was kicked off when Jordan Pickford's rash challenge left Virgil van Dijk requiring knee surgery following the Merseyside derby last month.

Since then Joe Gomez has also sustained a similarly long-term knee injury, while Fabinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even 19-year-old Rhys Williams have missed games through less severe issues.

With Gomez and Van Dijk likely out for the majority (if not all) of the remainder of the 2020/21, Liverpool have only Joel Matip as a senior specialist centre back, while Fabinho is likely to play much of the season alongside him, having impressed in recent games as emergency cover.

In addition, Jurgen Klopp can and has called on Williams and Nathaniel Phillips, who spent last season at Kidderminster Harriers (in England's sixth tier) and Stuttgart (Germany's second) respectively.

As such, there has been speculation that Liverpool could use the January transfer window (just over a month away already) to shore up their options.

Liverpool are reported to be interested in Perr Schuurs
Liverpool are reported to be interested in Perr Schuurs / Soccrates Images/Getty Images

Corriere Dello Sport report that Liverpool are 'negotiating' with Ajax for 21-year-old centre back Schuurs and even go as far as to claim that the English champions have offered €30m (around £27m).

The 6ft 3in Dutchman, who has drawn comparisons with Matthijs de Ligt whose role he assumed in the team, has a contract in Amsterdam until 2022.

Made captain of Fortuna Sittard at just 17, Schuurs joined Ajax in 2018, establishing himself as a regular this season and has started eight of nine games in the Eredivisie so far.

While CdS claim Liverpool have 'opened the dialogue' with Ajax, there is little more detail on the supposed offer and it is yet to be backed up by the big-hitters of the Liverpool reporting world, many of whom have claimed that Liverpool may not make any moves this January.

Turkish star Ozan Kabak is another name oft linked with Liverpool
Turkish star Ozan Kabak is another name oft linked with Liverpool / Pool/Getty Images

90min has previously reported that the board is willing to release funds for a new player but only for the right deal at the right price. Names like Ozan Kabak (Schalke), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Mykola Matvienko (Shakhtar Donetsk) and Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) are all understood to be on the watchlist.

David Alaba too may be under consideration, with it increasingly unlikely that he will extend his contract at European champions Bayern Munich beyond the summer.