Dutch giants Feyenoord are said to have contacted Championship leaders Leeds United with a view to signing defender Pascal Struijk.
Feyenoord are likely to face stiff competition for the Dutch youth international, with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur previously linked with a move for Struijk.
Reports suggest that Feyenoord are eyeing Struijk to replace David Hancko, should the defender leave the Dutch club this summer as expected.
Feyenoord contact Leeds over potential Pascal Struijk deal
In December, it was reported that a host of Premier League clubs were keeping tabs on Struijk, with Tottenham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion all interested in the centre-back.
But it now appears that the 25-year-old has attracted the attention of clubs on the continent, with Feyenoord from his old home of the Netherlands now stepping up their pursuit of the defender.
According to Dutch source footballtransfers.com, Feyenoord have already approached Leeds about a potential deal this summer.
Feyenoord’s hunt for a new centre-back has been fuelled by speculation that they will lose a defender of their own, with left-footed David Hancko on the radar of European giants Juventus and Atletico Madrid, according to footballtransfers.com.
Struijk’s current contract runs until the end of the 2026/27 season, which would strengthen Leeds’ position in transfer negotiations somewhat.
Of course, a bidding war between English clubs and interested parties on the continent would increase the fee Leeds could hope to ask for the 25-year-old.
At the time of the reports linking Struijk to Tottenham and the like, the Whites were reportedly holding out for £25m.
Of course, another factor to consider is Leeds’ league status this summer.
If Daniel Farke can lead the Whites back to the Premier League this season, Leeds’ position in a potential transfer saga would be significantly strengthened.
Left-footed Pascal Struijk looks set to be the ideal replacement for David Hancko at Feyenoord
The Belgian-born Struijk is also eligible to play for the Netherlands, having represented the Dutch at under-21 level.
The left-footed defender began his playing career in the Netherlands after moving from Belgium at the age of three, starting out in the academy at ADO Den Haag before being snapped up by the biggest Dutch club, Ajax.
Struijk has never featured in the Eredivisie, however, with Leeds raiding Ajax’s academy for the defender in 2018.
Since being handed his debut by legendary Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa in 2018, Struijk has played his entire senior football for the Whites, making 154 appearances in all competitions.
Not only does Struijk’s left-footedness make him a tempting prospect for other clubs, with teams keen to have a centre-back who is naturally left-handed and has a strong right foot, but his versatility will also attract attention.
Over the years at Elland Road, Struijk has been deployed as a centre-back, left-back and even a holding midfielder, showing his ability to play in a variety of roles and positions.
Should Feyenoord lose Hancko, Struijk would seem a very capable replacement – a left-footed centre-back with experience of Dutch football, albeit far from an elite level.
