Everton are keen on signing Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij, as revealed by Calciomercato.

What's the latest transfer news involving de Vrij?

According to the report, the 49-cap international has caught the eye of a number of Premier League teams, with Everton named as the club showing the most interest.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid are also tracking de Vrij, although it is understood that no official bid has been made for the centre-back at this stage.

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What's Inter's stance on de Vrij?

The Italian giants do not want to sell de Vrij, and are ready to offer the 29-year-old a contract extension which will keep him in Milan until 2025.

However, it has been claimed that a significant offer could change Inter's mind, with the club having already sold right wing-back Achraf Hakimi to PSG this summer.

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What were de Vrij's stats in 2020/21?

De Vrij was a regular for Inter last term, making 30 league starts for Antonio Conte's men as the club secured their first league title in 11 years.

As per WhoScored, de Vrij led the way for Inter when it came to aerial duels won (65) and clearances (92), while he also ranked second amongst his teammates for shots blocked (18).

With the Dutch international at the heart of their defence, Inter managed to keep 15 clean sheets across the course of their league campaign, and they conceded the fewest goals in the division (35).

Would he be a better signing than Koulibaly?

De Vrij has been at the top of his game over the last two seasons, coming on leaps and bounds under the guidance of Conte. He was named Serie A defender of the year in 2019/20, as Inter pushed Juventus throughout the season in the title race.

The 6 foot 3 defender then followed that up last year by being a mainstay at the back when Inter eased away from their rivals to win the league. Right now, he seems to be at his absolute peak.

Meanwhile, Everton have also been linked with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly, and it GIVEMESPORT recently covered a report by Calciomercato claiming that the Toffees had tabled an opening offer for the 30-year-old. 

The experienced centre-back is a classy operator, having won the Coppa Italia in 2020 but he has struggled with his fitness over the last two seasons. During this period he has missed 25 league games, with many of his absences being due to injuries.

Everton need to bring in someone who they can trust to produce high-class performances on a regular basis, and in the last two years, de Vrij has shown that he is more reliable than Koulibaly when it comes to staying fit and delivering commanding displays.

Koulibaly would be a good signing because of his experience at the highest level - he has featured in the Champions League regularly in recent years - but de Vrij would be an even better addition to Rafael Benitez's squad.