---
title: "Manchester United: Erik ten Hag eyes Stefan de Vrij"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/de-vrij-man-utd-transfer-latest-ten-hag-martinez/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Manchester United News"
published: "2022-07-04T11:35:38Z"
modified: "2022-07-04T11:35:38Z"
---

# Manchester United: Erik ten Hag eyes Stefan de Vrij

**[Manchester United](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-united-news/) are interested in Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/manchester-united-turned-radar-play-hes-waiting-call-club-open-sale/)).**

### The lowdown

The Red Devils are poised to announce their first signing of the summer in the form of full-back Tyrell Malacia, as transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano told [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/88029499-man-utd-done-deal-for-ten-hags-first-signing-at-old-trafford) that the £14.6m deal for the Feyenoord man is effectively ‘done’.

Erik ten Hag might now turn his attention to a centre-back, with [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/news/manchester-united-ajax-lisandro-martinez-transfer/JHT1SMpw2Zad/) reporting that talks over Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez are already at an advanced stage.

However, it seems that the 52-year-old may also be interested in De Vrij, who is now into the [final year of his contract](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stefan-de-vrij/profil/spieler/111196) with Inter.

### The latest

Gazzetta dello Sport claimed (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/manchester-united-turned-radar-play-hes-waiting-call-club-open-sale/)) that Inter may look to offload the 30-year-old this summer for two reasons.

First of all, they want to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer, and secondly, they can put the funds towards further incomings.

United have ‘turned on their radar’, which suggests that this situation has alerted them and that a formal approach might be in the works. De Vrij is ‘waiting for a call’ but isn’t expected to try to force through a move of his own accord.

[Latest Man Utd news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-4/)

### The verdict

It wouldn’t be a surprise if United sought multiple defensive additions this summer. After all, they [set a new club record](https://strettynews.com/2022/05/08/manchester-united-set-abysmal-record-for-goals-conceded-in-2021-22/#:~:text=Manchester%20United%20have%20conceded%20a,League%20was%20formed%20in%201992.&text=Manchester%20United%20have%20conceded%2056,record%20in%20a%20single%20campaign!) last season for goals conceded in a Premier League campaign.

To that effect, Ten Hag may feel that it is an area in need of a revamp ahead of his first full season in charge at Old Trafford.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”398302″\]

[Martinez’s capacity](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lisandro-martinez/leistungsdaten/spieler/480762) to play as a full-back and as a defensive midfielder, in addition to centre-back, is also worth noting. With that in mind, both he and De Vrij could certainly fit into the same squad.

The [£25.2m-rated](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stefan-de-vrij/profil/spieler/111196) Dutchman brings appropriate pedigree, having won Serie A with Inter in 2020/21 and earned a host of individual accolades. He was named the league’s Defender of the Year in [2019/20](https://www.legaseriea.it/en/press/news/info/the-mvps-of-the-2019-2020-season) and also made the best XI in [2020](https://football-italia.net/gran-gala-del-calcio-the-winners/) and [2021](https://football-italia.net/lukaku-and-conte-win-serie-a-awards-for-2020-21/).