Aston Villa, Leicester & Atletico Madrid ‘ask’ about Inter Milan star - agent has given hope

Aston Villa and Leicester City have both enquired to the agent of Inter Milan star Stefan de Vrij, as the defender’s contract expires at the end of the current season. Negotiations are said to be underway for a new deal, but the player is well aware of interest from abroad and it could complicate things.

The 30-year-old has been a key player for Inter ever since he signed from Lazio back in 2018, and he remains so, having played 74% of the minutes available to him in Serie A this campaign. De Vrij is currently out in Qatar at the FIFA World Cup with the Netherlands, though he is yet to make an appearance at the tournament.

According to FC Inter News, Villa and Leicester have asked De Vrij’s agent, Federico Pastorello, for information surrounding the centre back’s future plans. It is reported the Dutchman wants to retain at least the same salary he is currently on (€4.2 million per year), but the club are currently unwilling to go above €3.5 million.

De Vrij is happy in Milan but it is said if an agreement can’t be reached, he is well aware of the ‘admirers abroad’. The Villans and the Foxes may have some strong competition, though, as Atletico Madrid, who are set to lose defender Felipe to Wolverhampton Wanderers, are another side to have contacted De Vrij’s agent.

One thing is for sure, the Inter ace would bring mountains of experience to wherever he may end up having featured in a whole host of competitions at the highest level. For his clubs alone, De Vrij has played Serie A, Eredivisie, Coppa Italia, Champions League and Europa League football.

For the Netherlands, meanwhile, he has made 59 appearances, including seven at the FIFA World Cup, four in the UEFA European Championship, and eight in the UEFA Nations League. Although he has fallen down the pecking order for the Dutch recently, he is still at a high enough level to make the squad.

If he were to head to Villa Park, he would add depth to an already talented defence, perhaps pushing the likes of Tyrone Mings or Ezri Konsa out of the starting XI once Diego Carlos returns from injury. De Vrij’s arrival would certainly relieve the worries of struggling at the back if another player were to be sidelined for the long term.

Leicester City would offer more of a guarantee of consistent game time, as Jonny Evans is getting older and Caglar Soyuncu has had injury troubles. De Vrij could perhaps sit alongside Wout Faes in a new-look back line at the King Power Stadium.