By Betsefy
Tottenham Hotspur still hold an interest in signing Inter Milan centre-back Stefan de Vrij, according to a report.
The 30-year-old was signed by the Nerazzurri from Lazio in 2018 – one year before Antonio Conte arrived – and he immediately became a mainstay in the Inter backline.
De Vrij formed an integral part of Conte’s title-winning crop in the 2020-21 season, starting 30 Serie A matches alongside Alessandro Bastoni and Milan Skriniar.
Conte was thought to have been keen to bring the Netherlands international to North London in the summer window, but a transfer did not materialize and he remained in Milan.
De Vrij has now entered the final 12 months of his contract with Simone Inzaghi‘s side, though, and he has been an unused substitute for their last two Serie A matches.
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Given his contract situation and recent removal from the first XI, Inter are supposedly willing to let De Vrij leave the club either on a free transfer or for a cut-price fee.
According to Football Insider, Tottenham remain attentive to the situation, and the soon-to-be free agent is viewed as a “favourite” of Conte’s.
The report claims that Inter were holding out for a fee of around £40m in the summer transfer window, but the Nerazzurri would now accept just £10m to avoid losing him for nothing next year.
De Vrij is said to possess other suitors in the Premier League besides Tottenham, who also failed to prise Bastoni and Skriniar away from San Siro amid persistent speculation over the summer.
Bastoni’s agent ruled out the Italian’s chances of a summer exit, but Skriniar is out of contract in 2023 alongside De Vrij and was the subject of a failed summer approach from Paris Saint-Germain.
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Inter are reportedly determined to tie Skriniar down to fresh terms, but the Italian giants are rumoured to be considering a January sale lest they risk seeing two of their key centre-backs leave on free transfers next summer.
The Nerazzurri captured De Vrij without paying a single penny after his Lazio deal expired in 2018, and the centre-back has registered eight goals and seven assists in 175 outings for the club since.
De Vrij has one Serie A trophy, one Coppa Italia and one Supercoppa Italiana crown to boast from his four years at San Siro, having also won the latter honour with Lazio in his final season.
Tottenham did boost their central defensive ranks with the loan signing of Clement Lenglet from Barcelona, while Cristian Romero‘s move from Atalanta BC was made permanent at the end of August.
Eric Dier, Ben Davies, Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez are also battling for spots in Conte’s three-man backline, while Joe Rodon left for Rennes on loan with an option to buy earlier this year.
Tottenham are aiming to record a third successive win in all competitions when they meet Everton in Saturday’s Premier League contest, and the Lilywhites are reportedly planning to open contract talks with Conte next month.
