Stefan de Vrij’s representatives have offered Premier League trio Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United the chance to sign Inter Milan’s Serie A-winning centre-half, as reported by the Northern Echo.
How De Vrij himself feels about joining a club sitting ninth, eleventh or nineteenth in the Premier League table… well, we can only speculate at this stage.
This was a guy who was swigging champagne from the bottle on the San Siro turf just six months ago after all.
But with Inter Milan’s much-publicised financial problems casting doubt on the futures of their Scudetto-winning heroes, the Dutchman’s agents are hard at work with the January transfer window now just weeks away.
Is Stefan de Vrij leaving Inter Milan for the Premier League?
29-year-old De Vrij admitted earlier in November that he had heard nothing regarding a potential reunion with former Nerazzuri coach Antonio Conte at Spurs, via Football London.
Whether he was telling the truth – or whether he simply wished to distance himself from some rather distracting speculation – is anyone’s guess.
But, according to the Northern Echo, Tottenham are one of three English-based clubs that have been approached by De Vrij’s agents.
The others, Everton and Newcastle, might not be quite as alluring as Spurs – the prospect of European football and the chance to work with Conte again will undoubtedly be major factors in De Vrij’s decision – but defensive reinforcements would certainly be very well received at Goodison Park and St James’.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is prioritising a centre-half in January (only Norwich have conceded more than the Magpies). Everton, meanwhile, conceded seven goals in around 50 minutes of action during recent defeats to Watford and Wolves.
According to La Repubblica, Inter Milan value De Vrij at around £35 million.
Blessed with superb positional sense, an excellent passing range and the ability to play in a back-three or a back-four, the former Feyenoord stopper has enhanced his reputation as one of the finest centre-halves in European football since joining Inter from Lazio in 2018.
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