La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly considering a summer move for veteran Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij, valued at €30 million by Inter Milan.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Stefan de Vrij is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The Dutch defender has one year left on his contract with Inter Milan, with the Serie A giants valuing him at around €30 million.
Stefan de Vrij spent his formative years in the Netherlands before graduating from the fabled Feyenoord academy. And after spending the first five years of his professional career with the Dutch club, the player grew in stature following his move to Italy, where he joined Lazio in July 2014.
The 30-year-old left Lazio after four years by moving to Inter Milan in July 2018, and he has grown in stature enormously. The Dutch defender has played an instrumental role in the Nerazzurri’s rise in the last four years, turning out 165 times for the Milanese club. But de Vrij’s stint with Inter could end this summer, with his contract running out next year. And his next destination could be Barcelona.
Barcelona will sign one centre-back this summer by bringing Andreas Christensen from Chelsea in a Bosman move. But the Catalan giants are eager to bolster their defensive unit further by adding another central defender to the squad amid uncertainties surrounding the futures of Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza.
In addition, Gerard Pique is in the twilight of his glittering career, prompting Barcelona to scour the market for a player who can take on the leadership mantle at the back. To that end, Kalidou Koulibaly has emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, with the Senegalese international keen on joining the Blaugrana.
But Napoli will put up stumbling blocks for Barcelona, meaning the Blaugrana will have to keep alternatives in mind this summer. As a result, de Vrij has emerged as a candidate for Barcelona to pursue, with his €30 million price tag making him an affordable option.
With de Vrij 30 years old, Barcelona can enjoy the last few peak years of the Dutch defender’s career. And the fact that de Vrij will be a short-term solution for Barcelona means Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia can continue to feature prominently without having their growth stunted.
