Manchester United are believed to be considering a range of options in their bid to strengthen their centre-back ranks this summer, with a replacement seemingly needed for departing former skipper, Harry Maguire.
Will Man United replace Maguire?
With a £30m deal having been agreed with West Ham United for the sale of Maguire, journalist Graeme Bailey has since reported that the Red Devils have a number of potential targets who they could turn to in order to plug that gap, with Torino's Perr Schuurs among those to have been mentioned.
Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "Man Utd are already working hard on centre-back options when Harry Maguire leaves the club. Benjamin Pavard, Jean-Clair Todibo, Perr Schuurs, Jarrad Branthwaite and Antonio Silva all discussed within Old Trafford."
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In his attached piece for 90min – alongside colleague Scott Saunders – Bailey went on to add that the Schuurs is a figure who is 'liked behind the scenes' at Old Trafford, with the 6 foot 3 Dutchman believed to have been valued at around £28m, amid interest from fellow Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur.
How good is Perr Schuurs?
It may not come as a surprise to see United yet again linked with a player who has worked under manager Erik ten Hag previously, with the Dutch tactician having already secured reunions with the likes of Andre Onana, Antony and Lisandro Martinez during his time in Manchester to date.
In the case of Schuurs, the 23-year-old played alongside that trio at Ajax prior to making the move to Turin last summer, having scored three times in 94 appearances in all competitions from his centre-back berth under Ten Hag's watch.
That time in Amsterdam notably saw the Netherlands U21 international likened to one of his compatriots and former teammates, with Edwin Van der Sar stating in 2020 that he "looks very much like Matthijs De Ligt", with fellow United legend Rio Ferdinand also adding:
"I said at the time he reminded me a little bit of De Ligt, who they sold to Juventus. He was strong, an imposing defender who read the game very well. Once he gets his big legs going, he goes out there and is very determined.
"He’s assertive, he understands when to go in and make his tackles."
With De Ligt having been a firm favourite of Ten Hag – after being given the captain's armband at the age of just 18 at the Johan Cruyff Arena – it could represent a real masterstroke to be able to sign a potential clone of the Bayern Munich man.
There may be those wondering whether it may not be better to simply land De Ligt instead, although the former Juventus man is likely to come at a premium as he is valued at €60m (£53m) by CIES Football Observatory, having also been criticised for his form in Germany of late, as ex-Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stated that both the 23-year-old – and Sadio Mane – "are not world-class players".
Schuurs, by contrast, has been particularly impressive in Italy of late, with the towering asset having been dubbed a "mountain" at the back by journalist Josh Bunting amid his stellar form in Serie A during the 2022/23 campaign.
That is showcased by the £29k-per-week man's defensive prowess in relation to his peers as he ranks in the top 20% in Europe's top five leagues among those in his position for tackles made per 90, while his ability on the ball is showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 19% for successful take-ons per 90 – illustrating his ease in possession.
That is in stark contrast to De Ligt, with the senior Netherlands international ranking in just the bottom 21% and the bottom 2% for those same two metrics, respectively, perhaps indicating that he has suffered since leaving his homeland.
Although the 6 foot 2 menace was the man who led Ajax's charge to the Champions League semi-final under Ten Hag back in 2018/19, the United boss could perhaps find a new defensive figurehead by turning to another familiar face in the form of Schuurs.
