Tottenham Hotspur appear to be lining up a move for Stefan de Vrij in 2023…
What’s the word?
According to Italian outlet L’Interista, the north Londoners are one of two Premier League sides to have made contact with Inter Milan over potentially signing the Dutch international.
Newcastle United are also keen on the 30-year-old colossus.
It’s thought that manager Antonio Conte remains a ‘great admirer’ of de Vrij, having coached him during I Nerazzurri’s Serie A title-winning campaign in 2020/21 – their first Scudetto in over a decade.
Should Spurs move for De Vrij in 2023?
Conte loves him
It remains to be seen exactly how much the Inter star would command, particularly as he remains a regular starter under Simeone Inzaghi at the San Siro, though CIES Football Observatory currently value him at €15m (£13.4m), with his current £122k-per-week contract set to expire in the summer.
That would represent something of a bargain for Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici, who could well still be on the lookout for another central defender, given his manager deploys a three-back system and is short on true options, in which one is only on loan in the form of Clement Lenglet.
De Vrij is an elite talent and one that Conte knows well, so it could be something of a dream arrival come January or perhaps the summer, where he’d be available on a free transfer.
As per FBref, who liken his statistical profile to that of four-time Champions League winner Raphael Varane, the Holland titan ranks within the top 6% of all central defenders across Europe for pass completion per 90 (92.1%), proving to be an astute player on the ball.
This campaign, he also leads the Inter squad for aerial duels won (3.1 per game) and for interceptions (1.7 per game), which highlights his defensive intelligence and ability to read the game and act upon what’s happening successfully.
The combination of these attributes makes him a very solid candidate indeed and it’s easy to see why Conte may want to reunite with his former star, given the evidence above.
De Vrij, who was once lauded as a “monster” by his ex-teammate Mauricio, must be among the priorities come the turn of the year.
AND in other news, Spurs receive bad news ahead of Arsenal clash…
