Liverpool hero told fans what they're missing after Lutsharel Geertruida blow

Liverpool's hopes of signing Lutsharel Geertruida already look to have been dashed, with one Reds hero looking as though he will have to wait at least a little while longer for his advice to be taken

Lutsharel Geertruida looks to have missed out on the chance to join Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Lutsharel Geertruida has felt like a player that has been destined for Liverpool for time, especially if you’re Dirk Kuyt - yet the Reds' hero looks as though he'll have to wait for his advice to come to fruition.

Kuyt, who spent six years at Anfield, has long been one of the defender’s champions, having earmarked him as a player for his former club to watch since 2023.

It looked as though his suggestion was finally going to be taken on Sunday. Liverpool was in talks with Sunderland and RB Leipzig as it worked on a deal to bring Geertruida to Merseyside, with Arne Slot looking to bolster a defense that is quickly running out of options.

The 25-year-old is currently on a season-long loan at the Stadium of Light, meaning Sunderland would have had to agree to terminating his deal in order to allow him to move to Liverpool, and that's where the Reds' hopes fell apart.

Despite reports that Leipzig was willing to give the deal the green light, and suggestions that Sunderland wouldn't stand in Geertruida's way, the Black Cats have ultimately decided they're not in a position to let the defender go at present.

That will be a hammer blow not only for Geertruida, who was seemingly keen on reuniting with Slot, but also for Kuyt, who has been waiting a long time for Liverpool to make a move.

The former forward first tipped Geertruida for a switch to Anfield three years ago, long before the Reds even had any inkling that Slot would be taking over from Jurgen Klopp.

Former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt suggested the Reds should sign Lutsharel Geertruida nearly three years ago(Image: Photo by ANP via Getty Images)

"I am a Feyenoord man and they are doing very well at the moment,” Kuyt told the Liverpool Echo.

"They have a very good manager in Slot and some of the younger guys like [Orkun] Kokcu and Geertruida are knocking on the door and playing very well. It won’t take long for the interest of top European teams to be there for them. I hope Liverpool is interested in Feyenoord players, and I am an example it can work!"

Just over a year later, and with Slot now at the helm, Kuyt doubled down on his suggestion, making an even stronger case for Geertruida.

"The level from Holland to England is at least two steps higher, so it's not easy to make that move,” he said. “So when you're talking about Feyenoord players joining Arne at Liverpool, I think Lutsharel Geertruida is the one, really, who would be able to make that move.

"Lutsharel is someone I'd love to see playing in the Premier League; I really think he'd fit into English football. He has great stamina, he's great on the ball, he's physically strong... he's capable of making the step up to the Premier League.

Liverpool looks to have missed out on Lutsharel Geertruida(Image: Getty Images)

"I'm asked a lot about players who I think are good enough to step up to the level of Liverpool, or the Premier League in general, from Holland, and Lutsharel is definitely one of them. Hopefully, he has the chance, one day, to play in the Premier League - and hopefully that's in a Liverpool shirt."

Since then, Geertruida has of course made his mark on the Premier League with Sunderland, and had looked to be on his way to Liverpool just a matter of hours ago.

Alas, time was not on the Reds' side, having seemingly left it too late to convince the Black Cats to let him go. Kuyt will have to wait at least a few more months to see whether his suggestion will become a reality