Newcastle United are reportedly willing to shell out a sum of €25 million to sign Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij, who is also a target for Barcelona.
According to an exclusive report from FC Inter News, Newcastle United are prepared to go all out in their pursuit of Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij by offering a transfer fee of €25 million to secure his services. However, they will have to stave off competition from Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur.
Stefan de Vrij has established himself as one of the best defenders in Serie A ever since he moved to Lazio from Feyenoord in 2014. After four years with the capital club, the Dutchman moved to Inter Milan in 2018 and has continued to enhance his reputation. Last season, he played a key role in the Nerazzurri’s title triumph and has made over 150 appearances for the Serie A giants.
However, de Vrij’s contract with the club expires in less than eighteen months. With the 30-year-old set to enter the final year of his contract in the summer, there are question marks over his future at the Giuseppe Meazza beyond the ongoing campaign, with clubs like Newcastle United, Barcelona and Tottenham circling to sign him.
Newcastle United tried to sign the Dutch international during the January transfer window but were met with rejection from the defender. But they are set to revisit their interest in de Vrij in the upcoming summer as they look to bolster their defensive unit despite adding Dan Burn last month.
While they are planning to offer Fabian Schar a new contract, adding a player of de Vrij’s quality and pedigree would elevate the level of the Magpies’ squad, setting them up to push for a top-half finish, provided they avoid relegation from the top-flight.
However, Barcelona are also interested in signing the Dutch centre-half. The Catalans are planning to bring in at least one new central defender in the summer transfer window, with Gerard Pique in the final phase of his career while both Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti are likely to leave the club.
De Vrij is one among many players linked with a move to Camp Nou. To that end, the Blaugrana are believed to have already made contact with his representatives to explore the possibility of a transfer. However, Newcastle United could blow them out with their financial clout.
As per the report, the Tyneside giants are willing to shell out a sum of €25 million to sign de Vrij, while they would also be prepared to hand him a lucrative contract worth €7 million per year. But with Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur in the picture, it remains to be seen what the future holds for the 30-year-old.
