Expert says sale of star player to Aston Villa for just £8.5m ‘very strange’

Certainly when discussing the 24-year-old’s importance to his current employer.

Lusharel Giltruida is not only the first name on Feyenoord’s roster, he also wore the captain’s armband last season in the absence of regular captain Gernot Trauner.

The Rotterdam-born defender is also a versatile player, able to fill in wherever his hometown club needs him. Giltruida will feature as a furious right-back for the majority of the 2023/24 season, but will also feature at centre-back and on the left when required.

As a result, Aston Villa have now opened talks with the Dutch international’s training camp to find a player for Feyenoord with the adaptability, consistency and leadership qualities of Geert Truida, according to HITC , saying Easier said than done.

Aston Villa sign Feyenoord defender Lutecharel Giltruida

As Dutch football expert Kenneth Perez said in an interview with ESPN, Giltruida “is the heart of this team.”

The former Ajax, AZ Alkmaar and Twente midfielder even claimed that the Feyenoord fans’ favorite played “in four of the centre-backs” against PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands last week. “Three” different roles, equivalent to the Community Shield.

Feyenoord won after a 4-4 draw on penalties.

Geertruida was valued at around £25m when RB Leipzig visited last summer, according to Algemeen Dagblad. De Kuip’s concern is that Feyenoord will now have to sell at a reduced price.

After all, Gil Truida only has one year left on his contract.

However, Perez is not worried about the Aston Villa target’s professionalism amid the uncertainty, while he urges Feyenoord to stick with paying far more than PSV recently signed from Monaco for his upcoming move The defender is due to pay an £8.5 million fee.

“Girtruida has had a bonus year at Feyenoord because he was almost there at Leipzig. You have to look at that boy; he was already out of his mind last year,” Perez explained.

“He stays, does his best and performs well. The interest will come.

“Teze will leave for 10 million euros. If that happened at Feyenoord, I can imagine them saying: ‘Okay, [let him keep the last] ten months of his contract”.

“Ten million euros for Geertruida? I would find it strange. I think it’s two completely different stories. One is the heart of the team, and for the other (Teze) it doesn’t matter whether he is there or not.

Liverpool and West Ham are also fans

The expert believes Feyenoord would benefit more from keeping Geert Ruida for one final season, even if it means losing the 11-time Netherlands international on a free in 2025.

“You said; “(Sell) or you will get nothing.” But you can still use Geertruida for a year,” Perez concluded. “He can help you in the Champions League.”

HITC understands Aston Villa have made contact with Gil Truida after telling Diego Carlos he is free to leave. Fulham are keen, despite an offer from Villa being rejected by the Brazilian giants worth £26m.

HITC can also confirm that West Ham United and Liverpool showed interest in Gil Truida earlier this summer.

Last year, new Anfield coach Arne Slott was in the Feyenoord dugout when the likes of Gil Truida, Brighton newcomer Mats Weaver and others won the Eredivisie title.