Aston Villa are planning a late move for Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida, as Unai Emery looks to bolster his squad.
The Villans suffered a big blow on Saturday when Matty Cash pulled up in the first half of their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal. This left Unai Emery to throw the inexperienced Kosta Nedeljković at right-back as a replacement for Cash, and unsurprisingly struggled throughout the afternoon.
As a result, the club have reportedly upped their ante to sign Lutsharel Geertruida, who can operate at right-back and centre-back. The Netherlands international, 24, was tipped to follow his former boss Arne Slot to Liverpool, however, rumours of a potential switch have cooled down in recent weeks. This has given Aston Villa the opportunity to open talks with Feyenoord over a possible move for the defender.
Lutsharel Geertruida’s versatility is his biggest asset
Aston Villa have been busy shaping their squad over the summer transfer window, bringing in as many as eight players thus far. They are keen to bring in Geertruida, who has entered the final year of his contract at the Rotterdam-based club. This deal looks likely to be contingent on Diego Carlos leaving Villa Park, with the Brazilian attracting interest from Fulham late in the transfer window.
Having graduated from the Feyenoord youth academy, Geertruida has gone on to make over 200 appearances. He was a regular in defence for his team this past season, racking up 47 appearances across all competitions. The defender also caught the eye by netting nine goals.
Arne Slot, now the Liverpool boss, used the 24-year-old at centre-back and right-back across two seasons at Feyenoord, and the defender duly delivered the goods. Geertruida is now regarded as one of the most reliable defenders in the Eredivisie, and given his versatility, he could become a fantastic acquisition for Villa Park if they can agree on a fee with the Dutch side.
The 11-cap Netherlands international would push Cash at right-back while competing with the likes of Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings in central defence. At just 24, Geertruida has gained solid experience in his career and won many trophies, including the Eredivisie title and KNVB Cup.
All in all, Emery must push Villa to do everything possible to sign the Dutchman.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
