Mino Raiola is working to secure Stefan de Vrij a pay rise at Inter Milan after the Serie A giants rejected Leicester City’s approach for the centre-back, according to Calciomercato.
The Foxes sought to negotiate a potential Premier League move for the Netherlands ace after Wesley Fofana’s injury. Brendan Rodgers will be without the centre-half until 2022, after fracturing his right fibula against Villarreal during a pre-season friendly.
But Inter Milan had no interest in allowing De Vrij to join Leicester for any fee as they look to defend the title this season. Nerazzurri chiefs consider the Dutch enforcer to be a pillar of Simone Inzaghi’s backline they are not prepared to sell.
Leicester wasted no time in finding an alternative following Inter Milan’s snub, having turned to Jannik Vestergaard. The Foxes have worked rapidly to secure the Denmark star’s arrival, with Sky Sports reporting he completed his medical on Friday. The Athletic claim they agreed a £15m fee on Wednesday before finalising personal terms on Thursday.
Now, Leicester’s interest in De Vrij could see the 29-year-old earn a pay rise at Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri want to extend his contract to avoid any further interest, with his current deal expiring in 2023. They additionally feel there is time on the table to find an agreement.
Raiola is happy to discuss his client’s San Siro future, as long as the Nerazzurri offer terms running to 2025. The renowned super-agent has also demanded Inter Milan increase De Vrij’s salary from €3.8m-a-year (£62k-p/w) to €4.5m-a-year (£74k-p/w).
Raiola to capitalise on Leicester interest in Inter Milan star De Vrij
Inter Milan would have soon faced a decision on De Vrij’s future at the San Siro irrespective of Leicester’s approach. The Nerazzurri would be loath to let the 49-cap international’s deal enter its final 12-months next year to protect his market value.
If De Vrij’s long-term future is away from Inter Milan, Nerazzurri chiefs may have been more receptive to Leicester’s interest. Instead, they turned the Foxes down, and now Raiola looks set to capitalise on Rodgers’ interest to secure better terms.
De Vrij would have been a superb addition to the Foxes ranks if Inter were open to selling. He helped an Antonio Conte-led side keep 11 clean sheets in 32 appearances to win the Serie A last season. He then helped the Netherlands reach the Last 16 at Euro 2020.
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