Bayern Munich were reportedly in for him on several occasions: Bundesliga transfer flop definitively sidelined

Bayern Munich once had him on their shortlist, but Lutsharel Geertruida ultimately arrived in the Bundesliga via RB Leipzig – and has since earned the status of a transfer flop.

Not that long ago, Lutsharel Geertruida was a regular in the Bayern Munich rumour mill. In the summer of 2023 and again the following winter, the Dutchman was viewed as a transfer target in Munich.

Hardly a week seemed to pass without another update on the German record champions' supposed interest. As is well known, the move never happened, even though a transfer at either point would certainly have made sense. Geertruida has a player profile that is rarely seen in elite European football.

By the start of 2024, the then 23-year-old had mastered almost the full defensive repertoire. Even more so than Benjamin Pavard, whose Bayern exit came at exactly that time. In the centre, on the right and in the holding role, Geertruida can be used almost anywhere when it comes to preventing goals, at least on paper. He also brings huge physicality and game intelligence. But nothing ever became concrete at Säbener Strasse. Instead, the German record champions turned elsewhere. First, then coach Thomas Tuchel got his preferred defender Min-jae Kim, before Eric Dier and Sacha Boey strengthened the defence half a year later.

Geertruida saw out the season at his boyhood club Feyenoord Rotterdam before making the move to the Bundesliga. RB Leipzig paid €20 million. What first looked like it could be a real bargain quickly became a bad signing from the Saxony club's point of view. Geertruida has now even picked up the label of a transfer flop.

Why has Lutsharel Geertruida failed at RB Leipzig?

Two years after arriving, the now 26-year-old has been pushed to the margins. His debut season was mixed at best. Geertruida made 35 appearances and immediately nailed down a regular starting spot, but lost it around the turn of the year and even spent some matches on the bench throughout. The demotion had less to do with serious mistakes than with differing ideas. Malicious tongues would even call it a complete misjudgement by Leipzig.

Within a few weeks, it had already become clear that Geertruida simply could not cope with the system of then RB coach Marco Rose. His style of play, tucking in from the right as an inverted full-back, was not wanted. He also failed to meet the demand for positionally disciplined defending on the flank. The hope that those adaptation problems would sort themselves out over time proved false. After a mixed first half of the season, the early praise had completely evaporated.

Even Rose's departure at the end of the season did not earn Geertruida a second chance under his successor Ole Werner. Leipzig instead agreed a fairly amicable loan deal with ambitious Premier League newcomers AFC Sunderland. It worked. On the island, Geertruida made 30 appearances and certainly managed to impress.

No future at RB Leipzig: what next for Lutsharel Geertruida?

Yet the agreed purchase option, worth the same €20 million that had gone to the Dutch port city two years earlier, was too expensive for the Saints. Presumably because Geertruida also did not fully establish himself as an undisputed regular starter. Even so, he earned a World Cup nomination, while high-profile players such as Jeremie Frimpong (Liverpool FC) and Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United) were left out by former Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman. Leipzig are therefore likely to have already been rubbing their hands. The market-value rise that so often follows a World Cup nomination never came, however. Geertruida did not play a single minute.

Now, a few weeks later, it is highly doubtful whether Leipzig will escape with a black eye and recover the Geertruida millions. According to consistent media reports, there is interest from the Premier League and Saudi Arabia, but concrete negotiations are not yet said to have taken place. Instead, another loan is looking increasingly likely. PSV Eindhoven and Ajax Amsterdam in particular are said to be monitoring a possible deal.

That would take Geertruida back not only to his home country. It would also return him to the league from which he supposedly played his way into Bayern Munich's sights and ultimately made a consequential decision.

Lutsharel Geertruida: statistics before and after his move to RB Leipzig