CalcioMercato have claimed that Inter Milan expect to receive a phone call from Tottenham Hotspur over Stefan de Vrij following Antonio Conte’s appointment at the North London club.
De Vrij was the leader of Conte’s solid three-man defence at Inter last season, which played a crucial role in their historic scudetto triumph.
That is perhaps why it is not surprising that the Italian has allegedly asked Spurs to make the Netherlands international his top transfer target in January.
CalcioMercato have now shed light on Inter’s position regarding De Vrij, whose contract at the club expires in 2023.
The report reveals that the Nerazzurri had initiated talks with the defender’s agent Mino Raiola even before the pandemic but the negotiations subsequently stopped.
The centre-back’s entourage is now allegedly pushing for a contract worth around €6m (£5m) per season, a figure which the Inter hierarchy is not willing to meet.
It is explained that the Serie A champions will put De Vrij on the market if there is no progress in the contract negotiations.
CalcioMercato add that De Vrij is held in ‘high regard’ by Conte and so Inter expect Spurs to make contact over the player’s availability.
Spurs Web Opinion
I would not be surprised if Conte had asked Paratici to make De Vrij the top transfer target as none of our central backs naturally fit into the central sweeping role in a back three.
While Romero played centrally in a back three at Atalanta last season, his role was completely different in Gian Piero Gasperini’s system as the Argentine was used as a bit of a battering ram with cover either side of him.
In Conte’s system, the central sweeper generally tends to take fewer risks and is required to be smart enough to be cover either side and deal with second-balls. De Vrij is readymade for that role.