Chelsea are preparing a €25m bid to sign Lazio defender Stefan De Vrij as a last ditch attempt to bring a defender to the Bridge before the close of the summer transfer window.
The Blues have failed in their efforts to bring Kalidou Koulibaly and Nikola Maksimovic, consequently, they have now turned to De Vrij.
Koulibaly is set to stay at Napoli this summer and Maksimovic is heading to Napoli in a deal worth €26m plus bonuses. Moreover, Chelsea’s pursuit to sign AC Milan youngster Alessio Romagnoli fell through in a similar manner.
The Blues have brought in Michy Batshuayi and N’Golo Kante this summer and although the Blues were linked with a number of high-profile players, so far there has been no additional signings after Kante.
De Vrij debuted as a professional for Feyenoord at the age of 17, the club he joined when he was a 10-year-old. The Dutch defender went on to join Lazio on July 2014 in a deal worth €7m, wherein he made his debut on 24th August in the third round of the Coppa Italia, wherein he scored his first and so far his only goal for Lazio.
Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla believes that the Blues are keen on signing the player and are preparing a €25m bid for the 24-year-old, excluding bonuses. Reports further suggest that both the clubs are in contact. Pedulla has a reputation of being a reliable source where Italian football is concerned.
While reports suggest that Chelsea are only weighing their options, De Vrij as a potential transfer target can be debated upon if one would consider his fitness after a knee injury he suffered on September 2015 which led him to miss most of the matches during the 2015-2016 campaign.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is keen on signing a defender from Italy, but the manager has been unsuccessful so far to land any player from the Serie A. If reports and source are to be believed, the Blues manager may finally bring in a much-needed defender.
The question, though, is whether de Vrij will be the perfect signing for the Blues with his injuries, and to cope with the pressure and the pace of the Premier League.
The 24-year-old defender has made 41 appearances for Lazio in the last two years, scoring one goal in the process and is in contract with the club till 2018.
