Leeds hold talks to sign £20m star who’s now set to leave Sunderland
Leeds United have held talks regarding a deal for Lutsharel Geertruida, with the defender set to leave Sunderland in the summer.
Geertruida set to leave Sunderland with rival Premier League clubs keen
As reported by TEAMtalk, Geertruida will depart the Stadium of Light at the end of the season, despite the Black Cats retaining an option to make the RB Leipzig loanee’s stay permanent for £20m.
For large parts of the campaign, the 25-year-old has been an important player for Regis Le Bris, making 26 Premier League appearances, but he has since failed to make it off the bench in four of the last five matches.
As such, it is perhaps unsurprising Sunderland don’t want to sign the full-back permanently, but he has done enough to impress rival Premier League clubs, with Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Crystal Palace and Leeds keen.
In fact, the Whites’ interest is described as ‘genuine’, and they have already held talks about a summer deal, at which point they could stand a good chance of winning the race for the Dutchman’s signature.
That is because of the Red Bull connection, which may give them an advantage over the plethora of other Premier League sides keen on Geertruida.
Geertruida’s favoured position and stats this season
Usefully, the 20-cap Netherlands international is capable of playing in several positions, such as left-back, centre-back and defensive midfield, but he is a right-back by trade, featuring in that area in each of his last three Premier League outings for Sunderland.
Lutsharel Geertruida’s Premier League statistics
26 appearances
15 starts
4 assists
34 tackles
18 interceptions
44 clearances
3 clean sheets
As shown, the versatile defender has been in and out of the team at times, but he returned to the starting XI against Manchester United last time out, completing two interceptions to help his side keep a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw.
Moreover, scout Antonio Mango is a keen admirer of the former Feyenoord man due to his passing ability, saying “his ability to play through the lines is absolutely outstanding.”
Leeds planning defensive overhaul this summer
Although Daniel Farke’s side have managed to secure Premier League survival with plenty of time to spare, their defence has been a worry at times, conceding 53 goals, which is the second-highest number of any team outside the relegation zone.
With that in mind, it looks like an overhaul could be on the cards at the back, and there have been encouraging signs that a deal for Chelsea’s Axel Disasi, who is currently on loan at West Ham United, could be possible.
Bringing in a new goalkeeper is on the to-do list too, with Lucas Perri failing to hold down a consistent place in the starting XI, and a new top target has now been identified.
