Crystal Palace have been linked with move for Torino defender Perr Schuurs during the summer transfer window, but are believed to face competition for his signature.
How good is Perr Schuurs?
The Dutchman has been a highly-rated footballer for some time now, bursting onto the scene as a teenager at Fortuna Sittard, before eventually earning a move to Ajax – arguably the pinnacle for any emerging player in his homeland of the Netherlands.
Schuurs continued to go from strength to strength with the Eredivisie giants, winning three league titles in the space of four seasons, and proving to be a rock at the heart of the defence. He also clinched two Dutch Cup trophies in that time, before deciding that a new challenge should come his way.
Last year, the 23-year-old joined Serie A team Torino and he largely impressed in his first season in Italy, making 28 league starts and also winning an average of two aerial duels per game.
Despite this, it could be that Schuurs departs Torino not too long after arriving there, with the defender looking increasingly as though he could be off to the Premier League. That's where Palace come into play, with the Eagles potentially eyeing defensive additions before the 2023/24 campaign gets underway next month.
Is Perr Schuurs off to Crystal Palace?
According to Tuttosport [via Caught Offside], Palace are in the mix to sign Schuurs this summer and appear to have made an approach b registering their interest in the player, but they certainly aren't on their own, in that respect.
Liverpool are strongly mentioned in the report, with another rumour claiming they now see him as a main centre-back target, while West Ham are also interested in snapping him up. It is believed that Torino are demanding around £34m for the former Ajax man's services, and an offer could potentially be accepted if that amount of money is met.
Schuurs is exactly what Palace should be looking for in the summer window, hopefully bringing him in to enhance the squad, rather than as a direct replacement for either Joachim Andersen or Marc Guehi. There is the risk that the latter could be more likely, of course, with the influential Eagles pair both linked with a move away in recent times.
The Torino star could provide Roy Hodgson with similar attributes to his current stalwarts at the back, with the 17-cap Netherlands Under-21s international averaging 3.2 clearances and 1.7 tackles per game in Serie A last season.
At just 23, his best years could also be very much ahead of him, and he may even be seen as a future starter for his country at senior level, potentially replacing Virgil van Dijk over time – a player he has also been compared to in the past, which should excite Palace fans, considering the Liverpool superstar's status at Anfield.
Whether Schuurs feels Selhurst Park is the best destination for him remains to be seen, or if the club want to pay so much for his signature in the next few weeks, but he could prove to be an eye-catching signing, considering how highly-rated he has been for some time.
