Tottenham Hotspur could be set to bolster their centre-back ranks even further following the signing of Micky Van de Ven from Wolfsburg, amid reports that the Lilywhites are also interested in the Dutchman's compatriot – Perr Schuurs.
What's the latest on Schuurs to Tottenham?
Having wrapped up a £34.5m deal for Van de Ven on Tuesday, The Times are reporting that the north Londoners could also look to the Torino ace to help provide further depth and quality at the heart of the defence, provided that the club are able to move on their 'unwanted' figures in that role.
The piece suggests that the Serie A side are looking for a fee in the region of £28m if they are to part ways with the 23-year-old this summer, with 'several Premier League clubs' also showing an interest in the former Ajax man.
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With regard to who could be moved on to help supplement a deal for the 6 foot 3 ace, the report adds that Joe Rodon looks set to be on his way to Leeds United on loan, while Daniel Levy has seemingly been 'trying to sell' both Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga.
How good is Perr Schuurs?
While it may have been a second-string side that took to the field against Barcelona on Tuesday evening, the eventual 4-2 defeat to the La Liga giants will have further showcased the need for reinforcements in the centre of defence, with Eric Dier looking particularly 'shaky', according to football.london's Alasdair Gold.
As manager Ange Postecoglou himself admitted after that loss in Catalonia, there is a "potential" that the recent capture of Van de Ven will be followed by another centre-back before the window closes, with the aim no doubt to improve a defence that shipped 63 league goals last season.
The signing of Schuurs – who has been dubbed a "mountain" at the back by journalist Josh Bunting – could be a dream option as far as Postecoglou is concerned, having caught the eye as a result of his standout form in Italy in recent times.
While the former Netherlands U21 international has typically featured in a left-back centre-back berth in his career to date – as per The Times' Gary Jacob – the natural right-footer could slot in alongside the left-footed Van de Ven in the centre of defence, proving a potential perfect partner for his fellow countryman.
In Van de Ven, Postecoglou has found a rare gem due to the 22-year-old's "extreme speed" – as described by Wolfsburg’s managing director, Marcel Schäfer – with the one-time Volendam man also a true master at playing out from the back, as he ranks in the top 12% among his European peers for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.
While also no slouch himself on the ball – as he ranks in the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90 – Schuurs could perhaps provide a more defensive-minded asset for the Lilywhites, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 20% for tackles made per 90, a greater record than that of the 6 foot 4 speedster (bottom 38%).
That ball-winning prowess is also seen by the fact that the Torino machine also averaged 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game in Italy's top-flight last season, with that again a better record than Van de Ven achieved in the Bundesliga (2.2 tackles and interceptions per game).
That would suggest that while the latter man can offer a composed presence on the ball as well as his remarkable recovery speed, Schuurs, by contrast, can be the defensive 'mountain' to help aid Tottenham's leaky backline.
Such a combination could well prove fruitful indeed…
