John Wenham has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur should move for Inter centre-backs Stefan De Vrij and Milan Skriniar, who are both out of contract at the end of the season.
Both defenders previously worked under Antonio Conte at the San Siro, and Spurs have had a long-standing interest in the pair.
De Vrij, 30, made 88 appearances under the Italian, whilst Skriniar, 27, appeared 81 times, and both won a long-awaited Serie A title in 2021.
Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham stated that Fabio Paratici could be looking to secure one, or both on a pre-contract agreement in January, as the Lilywhites look to strengthen their back line.
“I would certainly take Skriniar, he is a player we have apparently offered up for £45million for in the past,” Wenham claimed.
“If the chance is now there to get him for nothing or for a lot less than that on a pre-contract, that is something I would certainly be looking at.
“If Conte wants De Vrij, then get De Vrij. I know people are saying that he is three or four years older than Skriniar but if Conte wants to build a side around him then that’s good enough for me.
“I trust him as a leader and if he is available on a free, it just makes sense. Fabio Paratici is known for his success at securing free transfers and pre-contract agreements at Juventus.
“So we have two of the three centre-backs that Conte loved at Inter Milan. We are looking to improve our defence.
“We have had success in signing one of Conte’s defenders from Inter already in Ivan Perisic.
“If Conte wants him, then you would hope Paratici already has the wheels in motion to announce this as a pre-contract in early January.”
TIF thoughts on Skriniar and De Vrij…
Both these players would arrive with a wealth of experience and quality, and if deals to sign them for free can be achieved, it would be a remarkable bit of business for Spurs.
Cristian Romero has struggled with injury, whilst Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier have both suffered dips in form, and the centre of defence is a priority area for the club to address as they look to finish in the top four.
Whilst they are currently on course to finish in the Champions League spots, they may need to prove that they will likely be competing in Europe’s top competition next season to attract players of such a high calibre, but if they can pull it off, it could be a double deal which helps propel Spurs to the next level.