Why two games are enough to spend big on Schuurs

Just a week ago Brighton manager Graham Potter called Liverpool’s front four the best in the world following the addition of Diogo Jota to a front three that’s been setting Europe alight.

And while Roberto Firmino’s loss of form in 2020 is well publicised, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have been as terrifying as ever, with Jota’s record-breaking start to life at Anfield surprising many, and helping offset a defensive injury crisis.

Jurgen Klopp has been forced to make space for Jota in his line-up, and last night against Ajax he made room for all three of his goalscorers; playing the Portuguese alongside Salah and Mane, a daunting task for any defender in world football.

Liverpool lacked any form of attacking fluency without Firmino or an attacking midfielder but because of this, earned themselves plenty of lapse through balls, setting Mane and Salah free as Ajax looked for a goal.

In any other game, Liverpool would have capitalised, in this, they had a 6 ft 3 in defender shutting down every chance, with 21-year-old Perr Schuurs upping his impressive showing in the reverse fixture in Amsterdam by, at times, single-handedly shutting out Liverpool’s terrifying front three.

The most impressive moment was Schuurs most costly, Liverpool released Mane inside the right side channel with three minutes to play of the first half, and just as Mane hit the accelerator, looking certain for a one-on-one to give the Reds a timely first-half lead, along came Schuurs, taking down Mane with a challenge he had no right to be anywhere near.

The Dutchman picked up a yellow, but with it capped off a half where he completely outplayed Salah and Mane for the third 45 in a row, despite the pair having multiple opportunities to isolate the youngster.

Whether it be a ball over the top that Shuurs gets his head on every time, or a winger free out wide that he forces to dribble out of play, the centre-back has all the attributes that suggest he’ll be partnering the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt for the Netherlands very soon, with a skillset to rival both.

Despite the highly-rated André Onana letting his side down for Curtis Jones’ eventual winner, he did bail Schuurs out twice late on, with the youngster showing his inexperience as his side pushed for an equaliser with half an hour to play.

But it hardly distracted from what has been a stunning debut Champions League campaign for Schuurs, who has a release clause in his contract reportedly as low as €27 million. And with first-hand experience of the future superstar, Liverpool would be pretty irresponsible if they allowed another side to get there first with the next off the Dutch production line clearly possessing every attribute needed to make it at the top.