Manchester United are interested in signing Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij, according to a report from Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness).
The lowdown: De Vrij’s career so far
A vastly experienced operator, the 30-year-old Dutchman started out at Eredivisie club Feyenoord before moving to Lazio in 2014, where he made 118 outings and lifted the Italian Super Cup.
Signed on a free transfer by Serie A rivals Inter in 2018 (Sky Sports), the powerful centre-back has amassed 165 appearances for the Nerazzurri, playing a huge role in the team which lifted the Italian top-flight title in 2020/21 as he started 30 matches in that triumphant campaign.
As compatriot Erik ten Hag now attempts to begin a new era in charge at Old Trafford, De Vrij is seemingly among those being targeted to spearhead the transformation…
The latest: United keen on De Vrij
As per Gazzetta dello Sport, translated by Sport Witness, United are watching the 57-cap defender’s situation with intent.
It’s claimed that the developments will be ‘monitored in the coming days’ as Inter line up a replacement for the man who was hailed as a ‘brilliant player’ by team-mate Milan Skriniar upon signing for the San Siro giants.
Fast approaching the final 12 months of a contract and valued at £25.2m (Transfermarkt), the Red Devils could be given further encouragement in their pursuit over the coming weeks.
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-updates-3/” title=”Latest Man Utd updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
The verdict: Make it happen
De Vrij continued to have an impact at the very highest level in 2021/22 as he earned an impressive 6.88 Sofascore rating whilst winning 3.9 duels and making 1.7 clearances, 1.3 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game in Serie A, showcasing a prominent defensive mindset.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Standing at 6 foot 3 and boasting 436 senior outings overall, the powerful defender would bring further experience and a presence to a United team which often lacked assertiveness throughout the 2021/22 campaign, conceding a pitiful 57 league goals (the same number as they scored).
While signing the 30-year-old wouldn’t necessarily represent the start of the next generation in Manchester, the Dutch centre-back’s nous, quality and ability to lead a defence would make him a superb addition to the Old Trafford ranks as Ten Hag looks to fix the issues in that department.
In other news – Fabrizio Romano: Man Utd and Ten Hag are now in ‘new’ talks for ‘huge talent’ as well as De Jong