SHARE

Stefan de Vrij has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur since long before Antonio Conte took over at the club.

Indeed, when the Italian manager moved to Inter Milan, he had a period of not entirely trusting the Dutch defender, which encouraged transfer rumours. Things improved and De Vrij was an important player as Conte took Inter to the league title last season.

Inter are again in the mix to win the title this season, and their Sunday 3-2 victory over Napoli has seen them receive rave reviews. De Vrij missed the match with an injury, the second of three Serie A games he has hasn’t featured in.

He played in the last game against AC Milan, but was rested in the one before that against Udinese.

Calciomercato suggest it could be Inter looking towards the future and a time without the player. They inevitably say there’s interest from the Premier League, with Spurs the only club mentioned.

It’s ‘first and foremost Antonio Conte’s Tottenham’ when it comes to English interest, and recent comments from De Vrij did little to kill the rumour.

Speaking during the international break, he was asked directly about Conte and Tottenham, and said: “I don’t know anything about anything. The connection may be made a bit quickly, because the coach I worked with is now working there. But I don’t know anything.”

Should Inter Milan actually be planning for a future without the 29-year-old, as is suggested, then his contract situation also lends itself to a transfer, given De Vrij’s current deal expires in June 2023.