Inter Milan will demand a sum of €20 million for defensive mainstay Stefan de Vrij, who is a transfer target for Newcastle United and Tottenham.
According to Tutto Mercato Web, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have learned how much it would cost them to secure the services of Inter Milan and Netherlands defender Stefan de Vrij in the summer transfer window.
De Vrij signed for Inter Milan in 2018, arriving from fellow Serie A side Lazio on a free transfer. The 30-year-old has since established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Serie A, forging a dominant partnership with Milan Skriniar and Alessandro Bastoni.
The Dutchman was a key member of the team that won the Serie A title last season and continues to essay a prominent role under new manager Simone Inzaghi. To date, de Vrij has made 155 appearances for the Nerazzurri, 31 of which have come in the ongoing campaign. However, his time at San Siro could be coming to an end this summer.
De Vrij will be entering the final year of his contract with Inter Milan at the end of the season. So far, there have been no signs that the Nerazzurri will offer him a new deal, as their priority is to hand an extension to the Dutch international’s defensive partner Skriniar. It could lead to the 30-year-old moving on from the club come summer.
Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are among many clubs that have now shown an interest in securing de Vrij’s services. Newcastle strengthened their defensive ranks in the January transfer window with the acquisition of Dan Burn, who has been a brilliant addition to Eddie Howe’s team.
However, with Ciaran Clark and Federico Fernandez likely to leave in the summer and captain Jamaal Lascelles not being consistent enough this term, the Magpies would be wise to add a top defender to build a team capable of playing in Europe under their new owners. De Vrij’s experience and proven quality thus, make him a viable option.
Tottenham’s interest in the Dutchman stems from the presence of Antonio Conte, who managed de Vrij for two seasons at Inter Milan and won the Serie A title with the 30-year-old at the heart of his team’s defensive setup. The Lilywhites’ backline has looked fragile this season, and there are likely to be a couple of exits in the summer as well.
So, signing a top-notch defender like de Vrij, who the manager already knows in and out, makes a great deal of sense for Tottenham. The north London club are understood to be preparing a contract offer for the Dutch international already as they hope to lure him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer.
Inter Milan, as things stand, would be open to sanctioning an exit for their defensive mainstay for a fee of €20 million, a valuation that should not be an issue for both Newcastle and Tottenham. It will now be interesting to see who among the two clubs end up landing de Vrij in the summer.