Bad news for Liverpool, Reds to fail in bid to land €25m ace to fix key problem

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Liverpool are reportedly expected to fail in their bid to land Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij, with the Dutchman set to stay in Italy.

Although he has been hampered by injury problems since his move to the Italian capital in 2014, the 25-year-old has established himself as a key figure for club and country over the last two years.

In turn, it’s no surprise that Liverpool had been linked with a move, although The Mirror have cast doubt over their ability to reach an agreement to sign him either in January or next summer.

De Vrij will see his current contract with Lazio expire at the end of the season, which is naturally yet another reason why he is an attractive proposition for Liverpool.

However, the report claims that a €25m bid from Inter could see the Merseyside giants miss out in January, while it’s noted that the player himself doesn’t have an immediate intention to leave Italy for the Premier League.

As a result, it looks as though Klopp will have to switch his focus elsewhere if he wishes to bring in a centre-half either next month or in the summer, with compatriot Virgil van Dijk still regarded as the top priority, as noted by the Mirror.

De Vrij has made 18 appearances in all competitions so far this season, not only proving his class and importance in the Lazio backline, but also his fitness having put a serious knee injury behind him.

As a result, it would come as no surprise if interest in him increased between now and the summer, with all eyes on whether or not the Serie A giants can convince him to sign a renewal.

With regards to Liverpool, they’ve improved significantly in recent weeks, but they’ve still conceded 20 goals in 17 league games this season, leaving them with the joint-worst defensive record out of the top seven sides.

If they harbour ambitions of competing for major honours, they’ll surely need better than Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan at the back.

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