Liverpool may have to pay Lutsharel Geertruida fee to Sunderland to complete transfer

Lutsharel Geertruida is on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig but Liverpool is eager to strike a deal to take him to Anfield for the rest of the season amid a defensive crisis

Lutsharel Geertruida during his time with Holland at Euro 2024.(Image: Photo by Alex Caparros - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Liverpool may need to pay Sunderland a compensation fee to complete the signing of Lutsharel Geertruida before the transfer window closes.

The Reds are in talks over a deal for Geertruida, who played under Arne Slot at Feyenoord, and is on loan the Stadium of Light for the season from RB Leipzig. All three clubs would need to reach an agreement for the deal to go through.

Slot is desperate to strengthen his defensive options with both full backs Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong sidelined. Geertruida can also play centrally and Slot is also without Joe Gomez and summer signing Giovanni Leoni at present.

Liverpool.com understands that Geertruida is one of several names under consideration by Liverpool, as it looks to bring in a new addition before Monday's deadline.

While Sunderland would be reluctant to lose the Dutch international, there is said to be an acceptance that it cannot stand in the way of a dream move to Anfield, and a reunion with former boss Slot.

The Black Cats will need a replacement of their own before sanctioning a deal and The Times reports they will also seek a compensation fee from Liverpool, with the two clubs in talks.

Sunderland paid a loan fee of around £2 million ($2.8M) to take the defender for the season, with an option to buy him this summer for £21m ($29M). There is no break clause in his contract at the Stadium of Light,

Liverpool would need to reach a new agreement with Leipzig to take Geeertruida for the remainder of the season. Sunderland would then have to cancel his loan, paving the way for him to effectively return to Leipzig before joining Liverpool.

Liverpool is in talks to sign Lutsharel Geertruida on loan(Image: Getty Images)

Sunderland is due to play Burnley on Monday night and it appears unlikely that Geertruida will be involved, should transfer talks progress in the next 24 hours.

He previously spoke very highly of Slot and was even pictured in the stands during a Liverpool game a couple of years ago.

Speaking in 2024, he said: "Arne managed to get the best out of me. He was never afraid to give me some harsh truths and was always correct in what he said about me.

"I believe he was a game changer for Feyernoord as soon as he arrived in Rotterdam. We always looked to play a dominant style of football, no matter the opponent.

"He is an intelligent coach who knows how he wants to go about things. Off-the-field he is, also, very open and is always prepared to listen to what you have to say and is easy to have a conversation with."