Barcelona are reportedly weighing up the possibility of signing 29-year-old Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij from Inter Milan this summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Stefan de Vrij is among a plethora of left-footed centre-backs that have popped up on the radars of Barcelona. The Blaugrana are in the market for a potential long-term replacement for Samuel Umtiti heading into the summer transfer window.
Stefan de Vrij joined Inter Milan from Lazio in the summer of 2018 and has since been a key figure for the Nerazzurri. A critical member of the Serie A title-winning team in 2020/21, the Dutch international has been among the best defenders in the Italian top-flight for the better part of the last half-a-decade or so.
Till date, the 29-year-old has turned out 124 times for Inter Milan, even chipping in with 7 goals and 6 assists. However, de Vrij, like many of his teammates at San Siro, is facing an uncertain future at the club owing to their financial difficulties. And, hoping to pounce on such a situation are La Liga giants Barcelona.
Barcelona have already signed a central defensive reinforcement this summer by confirming the signing of Eric Garcia. However, with Samuel Umtiti facing pretty much a non-existent future at Camp Nou, the Blaugrana remain in the market for a centre-back, albeit one who primarily favours his left foot.
To that end, Barcelona have been linked with a number of potential low-cost options in the likes of Alessio Romagnoli and Lisandro Martinez. In addition, though, the Catalan giants are also keeping their options open and considering players who would cost a bit more.
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As a result, Aymeric Laporte has emerged as a potential central defensive reinforcement for the La Liga heavyweights, with de Vrij also a viable target for them. Barcelona are, therefore, weighing up the possibility of making a move for the 29-year-old defender heading into the summer transfer window.
For now, it looks like Barcelona’s options to overhaul their defence are beefing up. What remains to be seen, though, is whether Stefan de Vrij ends up becoming the chosen one to bolster the heart of the Barcelona defence come the summer transfer window.
