Liverpool are kicking into gear in the transfer market with just three weeks to go in the window.
The Reds had looked in danger of not doing any business at all up until Wednesday, with plenty of rumours but nothing to back it up.
That has now changed, with Martin Zubimendi close to joining Liverpool from Real Sociedad. As the Reds look to head off any competition, Zubimendi’s move could now happen very quickly.
Beyond the Spaniard’s potential arrival at Anfield, though, there is more business for Liverpool to do.
It has been expected since the end of the season that Arne Slot would target a new defender during this summer. But with time running out, Aston Villa may be about to beat them to a target.
Aston Villa keen on Lutsharel Geertruida
To many supporters, bringing a new centre-back to the club should have initially been the priority for FSG this summer.
Liverpool lost Joel Matip at the end of the last campaign and given Ibrahima Konate’s injury troubles and Jarell Quansah’s youth, it felt like another body was needed.
However, having worked with the available Liverpool squad for a month or so, Slot decided to put his focus on signing a midfielder.
Sepp van den Berg has looked good in pre-season and there’s still potential for the Dutchman to stay. Meanwhile, Joe Gomez should not be forgotten about either.
READ MORE: The two key things Richard Hughes is now looking for in new signings for Liverpool
Still, the rumour mill has continued to turn. One player fairly heavily linked with Liverpool has been Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida.
It had been claimed that Geertruida was keen to follow Slot to Liverpool and there seemed to be a decent chance of him being the new head coach’s first signing at Anfield.
That has since become a little less likely and according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Villa have now entered the race to sign the 24-year-old themselves.
“Aston Villa have added Lutsharel Geertruida to their shortlist as he remains also on RB Leipzig radar,” says Romano. “RB Leipzig wanted Geertruida already last summer, Villa are monitoring him as potential new option.”
Liverpool not looking at Lutsharel Geertruida
We quite like the look of Geertruida as an option who can play centrally, right or left. In terms of a Gomez replacement should the 27-year-old leave, he’d be right up there.
Still, we can’t help but get the feeling that if Liverpool had wanted to sign the Feyenoord man, then they would have already.
Geertruida is available for around £25m according to reports this summer. Given that the Reds and Feyenoord have just been in very close contact indeed over Slot and some of his coaching staff arriving, it wouldn’t have been a difficult deal to do.
It may be that if the Netherlands international arrives in the Premier League and does well with Villa, then Liverpool will keep watching him.
But for the time being at least, we think the ship has sailed for Geertruida and for the Reds.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
