According to Tuttosport (via SportWitness), Liverpool have raised their transfer offer to sign Torino centre-back Perr Schuurs.
The Merseyside giants are looking to strengthen their central defensive department for next season, and Schuurs has been identified as their top target. The club failed with a £26 million bid to sign him earlier this month, and Tuttosport claim that they have ‘raised the bar’ with an improved bid including bonuses.
However, the new proposal on the table continues to remain below the £34 million asking price set by Torino, as per Tuttosport. Schuurs is also attracting interest from Crystal Palace and West Ham United, but he would prefer a move to Anfield and is optimistic that an agreement can be struck.
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Liverpool currently have Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez as their senior centre-back options. Van Dijk and Konate have been the usual choices for manager Jurgen Klopp, but the German may want more quality behind them, having seen Gomez and Matip struggle over the past season.
Klopp could also be eyeing a long-term successor to Van Dijk, who has shown signs of regression. Schuurs would be a top-class acquisition as he has no significant weakness. The Dutchman is a commanding defender with a strong aerial presence in the box. Last season, he completed 88% of his overall passes.
Schuurs is a ball-playing defender who also has the ability to make key tackles. He prefers to clear his lines in the box. At 23, he is just entering the peak phase of his career, and would be a good piece of investment for Liverpool. Klopp will be hoping that the board will back him by securing the Dutchman’s signature.
The former Ajax graduate has also been the subject of interest from Serie A champions Napoli, but he clearly has the preference to move to Anfield. It remains to be seen whether the Reds can reach a suitable agreement with Torino over the coming days.
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