‘Indispensable’ is a big word. But, in the case of this Aston Villa transfer target, it is probably a fitting description.
Certainly when discussing the 24-year-old’s importance to his current employers.
Lutsharel Geertruida is not only just about the first name on Feyenoord’s team sheet, he also wore the captian’s armband last season during the absence of usual skipper Gernot Trauner.
The Rotterdam-born defender is a highly versatile operator too, capable of filling in wherever his hometown club require. Geertruida made the majority of his appearances across 2023/24 as a rampaging right-back but also stepped up at centre-half and on the left when required.
So, with HITC reporting that Aston Villa have now opened talks with the Dutch international’s camp, finding a footballer of Geertruida’s adaptability, consistency and leadership qualities would be far easier said than done for Feyenoord.
Aston Villa move for Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida
As Dutch football pundit Kenneth Perez puts it, speaking to ESPN, Geertruida ‘is the heart of this team’.
The former Ajax, AZ Alkmaar and FC Twente midfielder even claims that Feyenoord’s fan favourite played in ‘three of four’ different roles during last week’s thrilling victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands’ equivalent of the Community Shield.
Feyenoord triumphed on penalties after a topsy-turvy 4-4 draw.
Geertruida was valued at around £25 million when RB Leipzig came calling last summer, per the Algemeen Dagblad. The concern at De Kuip is that Feyenoord will now have to sell for a cut-price fee.
There is, after all, only one year left on Geertruida’s contract.
Perez has no concerns about the Aston Villa target’s professionalism in the midst of such uncertainty, however, while urging Feyenoord to hold out for far more than the £8.5 million fee PSV recently received from Monaco for their own nearly-out-of-contract defender Jordan Teze.
“Geertruida has already had a bonus year at Feyenoord, because he was almost at Leipzig. You have to look at that boy; he was already gone last year in his mind,” Perez explains.
“He stayed, did his best and played excellently. The interest will come.
“Teze is leaving for 10 million euro. If such a situation were to occur at Feyenoord, I can imagine that they would say: ‘okay, (lets keep him for the last) ten months contract’.
“10 million euros for Geertruida? I would find that very strange. I think they are two completely different stories. One is the heart of the team and, for the other (Teze), it doesn’t matter whether he is there.”
Liverpool and West Ham are also fans
The pundit feels that Feyenoord would benefit more from keeping Geertruida for a final season, even if that means losing the 11-time Dutch international for free in 2025.
“You say; ‘(Sell) or you get nothing’. But then you still have Geertruida for a year,” Perez concludes. “He can help you in the Champions League.”
HITC understands that Aston Villa have made contact with Geertruida after telling Diego Carlos he is free to leave. Fulham are keen, despite seeing an opening bid rejected for Villa’s £26 million Brazilian powerhouse.
HITC can also confirm that West Ham and Liverpool showed an interest in Geertruida earlier in the summer.
New Anfield boss Arne Slot was in the Feyenoord dugout when Geertruida, Brighton newbie Mats Wieffer and co secured the Eredivisie title last year.
The post 'Heart of this team': Pundit says selling star to Aston Villa for just £8.5m would be 'very strange' appeared first on HITC.
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