According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has set his sights on Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij.
The Lilywhites have long been linked with a move for de Vrij, with reports dating back to this time last year.
Inter’s central defensive star has been on Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici’s radar since late 2021, with sources claiming that the Netherlands international was interested in joining.
Football Insider stated that de Vrij ‘told friends’ he was interested in signing for Spurs around 12 months ago, in the build-up to 2022’s January transfer window.
The 30-year-old has remained at the forefront of Conte’s thinking as the same outlet now shares a fresh update on Tottenham’s pursuit.
Indeed, there has been some news involving de Vrij and the north Londoners as Paratici seeks to build up Conte’s squad for a possible Premier League title challenge in the future.
FI state that Spurs’ head coach has long been a huge admirer of the Dutchman and Tottenham retain a strong interest in the defender leading up to January.
This comes as Inter decreases his value to around the £ 10 million mark, coming after he was priced at £40m last year.
De Vrij’s contract at the San Siro expires in 2023, potentially forcing the Nerazzurri to cash in for a cheap fee mid-season.
For just £10m, a winter swoop for the experienced Serie A ace seems like a no-brainer.
Called a ‘world-class player by former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson, de Vrij boasts solid defensive statistics over his seven league appearances thus far.
According to WhoScored, he ranks in Simone Inzaghi’s top two for interceptions and clearances made per 90 and no other Inter player has won more aerial duels on average.
It would be a very low-risk financial move for quite the proven defender.
