According to La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Carlo Laudisa, as relayed by Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur and Antonio Conte could make an ‘immediate attempt' to sign Stefan de Vrij.
The Lowdown: Conte era begins...
Following the dismal reign of former Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who left the club after just four months in charge, it's safe to say an exciting era has begun with the appointment of serial winner Conte.
The four-time Serie A champion and Premier League-winning boss comes with a glittering CV and glowing reputation of winning silverware where ever he is appointed.
Conte is also tipped to bring a high-intensity, high press philosophy of football back to N17 and instil a winning mentality, as claimed by Italian football experts after Spurs officially announced his appointment (football.london).
He has also been linked to signing a plethora of Serie A stars as news emerges on one of them in Inter defender de Vrij.
The Latest: Conte tipped for 'immediate attempt' to sign de Vrij...
As per La Gazzetta, as shared by Sport Witness, Conte has been tipped to make an 'immediate attempt' to sign the 29-year-old powerhouse.
This is largely due to his 'exception' when it comes to first assessing his new club before taking to the transfer market as he eyes strengthening one key area for Spurs already in central defence.
Indeed, as explained, Conte will apparently want to improve that particular Tottenham area quickly and that is where de Vrij comes in.
The Verdict: Get it done?
Valued at around £45 million by Transfermarkt, Conte's old club could be forced to sell on the cheap next year if he doesn't put pen to paper on a new deal - with his current contract expiring in 2023.
This may put Nerazzurri under some pressure in terms of negotiating and one other aspect may be his age.
It isn't infeasible that the Serie A giants may want to cash in on the 29-year-old while they still can and sooner rather than later, potentially assisting Conte when it comes to possibly making his 'immediate attempt'.
Lauded as a 'monster' by former Lazio teammate Mauricio, he has certainly kept that form up as a reliable defensive option.
He averaged a very impressive 93.8% pass accuracy out from the back for Conte's title-winner last season, a far higher rate than any Spurs defender managed in that time (WhoScored), possibly indicating he could come as a composed figurehead next to Cristian Romero.
In other news: Journalist says star 'will go to Tottenham' as he drops live TV transfer claim, find out more here.