The Italian side have picked up the Dutch international after he put in an impressive string of performances during the 2014 FIFA World Cup earlier this summer.
- By Adrian Bucher
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Feyenoord centre back, Stefan de Vrij is set to arrive in Rome on Monday night to sign for Italian Serie A side SS Lazio, subject to a medical examination on Tuesday morning, the club’s communications director has confirmed.
“We welcome with joy the best defender at the World Cup. He is an international-level signing” Stefano De Martino announced.
There had been much speculation suggesting that Manchester United were leading the race to sign the Feyenoord defender, where he would have been reunited with head coach Louis van Gaal, after the two had successfully collaborated during the World Cup. However, it was believed that Lazio were monitoring the progress of de Vrij even before the World Cup started, but had previous transfer bids rejected by the Eredivisie side, as the Roman club failed to match Feyenoord’s valuation of the player believed to be in the vicinity of €9 million.
The transfer marks Feyenoord’s fourth major departure, as Stefan de Vrij follows Bruno Martins Indi, Daryl Janmaat and Graziano Pellè out of Rotterdam.
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This is a risk for him. Italians teach defending better than the Dutch. Not saying De Vrij isn’t talented but Serie A is a risk. He’d be better off in Germany or England. I’d rather all Dutch players stay at home but that won’t happen. Good luck to him but as I said much will be expected from him on the defensive side. Very few Dutch players have ever succeeded or rather even moved to Italy. Rijkaard was the best Stam was okay but no else comes to my mind that was good. Emanuelsson has been average at best. Good Luck Stefan!!!