Tottenham Hotspur would be a preferred destination for Stefan de Vrij in the summer if he is to leave Serie A, with just one year remaining on his contract.
That is according to football journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking exclusively to GiveMeSport on Antonio Conte’s love for the Dutch centre-back.
Would De Vrij be a good option for the summer?
Yes
No
“We know Antonio Conte loves De Vrij. They had a great relationship together during his time at Inter when they won the title, and I’m sure De Vrij would be interested probably in being reunited with Conte if it was a possibility,” said O’Rourke.
The 30-year-old, who is valued at £40.5 million (via Transfermarkt) played a huge part in Conte’s title-winning side at Inter last season, having appeared in 32 of their league games.
Conte has persisted with a back three since arriving in north London, with Eric Dier being a main feature in the starting XI until his recent injury (via Transfermarkt).
The English centre-back has had an impressive 2021/22 campaign to date, having been nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award in August.
However, De Vrij has recorded twice as many successful tackles (30) as the Englishman (15) has been able to record this season in their respective leagues.
Interestingly, pundit Noel Whelan has called the Dutch central defender a ‘world-beater’ and even stated that he and Cristian Romero were capable of forming a defensive partnership that would make them legends.
TIF Thoughts on De Vrij to Spurs…
De Vrij has been a mainstay in the Inter side over the years and we think he could make a great addition to the Spurs starting XI under Conte.
The Italian has previously worked with him during his time in Milan and was clearly able to get the best out of the centre-back as they got their hands on the Italian crown last season.
On the whole, Spurs have fared pretty well defensively this season, however, with Arsenal having conceded fewer goals than them this season, there is room for improvement as they aim for the top four.
With Conte playing a back three, we think adding an experienced figure like De Vrij could be a great addition as a possible replacement for Ben Davies, with Cristian Romero and Dier showing some fine form so far this season.
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