Barcelona are reportedly set to target Inter defender Stefan de Vrij as they continue to eye defensive reinforcements.
The Catalan giants have conceded 31 goals in 27 La Liga games so far this season, giving them the second worst defensive record of the top six sides in the standings.
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From Gerard Pique turning 34 next year to Samuel Umtiti’s injury troubles dating back to last season, it could leave the reigning La Liga champions significantly short of options in their backline with a long term picture in mind.
That leaves Clement Lenglet as their only other senior option, and so for a European giant looking to compete on multiple fronts year in and year out, it’s surely not enough.
As reported by Calciomercato, via the paper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, De Vrij has now emerged on Barcelona’s transfer radar as they look to bolster their options at the back.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed a solid spell in Italy having initially joined Lazio from Feyenoord before moving on to Inter two years ago. He has since made 66 appearances for the Nerazzurri while he also has 37 caps for the Netherlands to his name.
In turn, he certainly boasts the experience and quality at the highest level, and coupled with his defensive solidity and technical quality in possession, he arguably ticks all the right boxes as far as Barcelona are concerned.
With that in mind, it could be a smart move from the Catalan giants who will need both a short term and long term solution, and De Vrij could be the man to provide that if he can be prised away from Inter this summer as he remains a key figure for Antonio Conte’s side.