Lazio have once again enjoyed an excellent season under Coach Simone Inzaghi. Their prowess going forward has been incredibly impressive in Serie A this term, the capital club having scored more goals even than top-of-the-table Juventus. Such a potent attacking force consists of the likes of Ciro Immobile, Luis Alberto and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, players who have contributed to an overall tally of 87 goals in 37 matches this season.
Yet in defence the Biancocelesti can boast another highly sought after player, Dutchman Stefan De Vrij was reportedly wanted by a whole host of big clubs earlier this term. He has not only been a solid force in the Lazio backline, but statistics according to Whoscored.com reveal that the defender boasts the highest percentage of completed passes (91.5) in the entire squad during 2017/18.
The 26-year-old has also weighed in with six goals in 35 domestic appearances, and his value is undisputed as Lazio do battle with Inter in order to secure the final Champions League spot. Just three points separates these sides as the Aquile currently occupy that coveted fourth place in the table, with a nail-biting final showdown between the pair set to be played this Sunday evening. However there is a problem.
De Vrij rejected a contract offer from Lazio earlier this year, with sporting director Igli Tare making a public statement explaining that any offer previously on the table had been withdrawn. “We'll explain our reasons later," the official declared to Mediaset. "There's a limit and that's been breached, and it's now become a question of correctness. He's always been an exceptional professional and he's given a lot to Lazio, and Lazio have given a lot to him, but at the end of the season, our paths will divide. We are withdrawing our offer to him.”
Whatever the reasons behind the split, this €35 million rated player was suddenly going to be available on a free transfer this summer, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Inter all said to be interested. As the rules state that any out of contract players can sign an agreement with a new club after the closure of the transfer window, de Vrij was always going to have a deal in place by the end of the current campaign.
It has now been confirmed that the Dutchman will join Inter next season however – as mentioned above – his current club and the Nerazzurri are locked in a battle to reach the Champions League places in Serie A, and the final game of the season between them will be a winner-takes-all affair.
Of course, that leads to the question, should de Vrij feature for Lazio in that all-important final encounter?
No one is doubting the player’s professionalism here. The Dutchman has been an excellent servant to the club since his arrival from Feyenoord in 2014, having made a total of 116 appearances in all competitions. However just one slip, one mistake that leads to a goal, could be blown up out of all proportion, making for a very difficult situation for the defender.
“De Vrij will play until the last match, we trust him,” said Tare to Il Tempo on Friday. But whether Lazio stick with their decision remains to be seen. This is a highly unusual situation, one that would not have mattered if it wasn’t for the anomaly drawn up by the fixture list.
However Simone Inzaghi did not seem so sure when interviewed after his side drew 2-2 with Crotone on Sunday. “I don’t know if he’ll play,” the boss revealed to FCInter1908.it. “I’ll assess him during the week, but Luiz Felipe will be back for Sunday, which is very important for us, plus I have other top defenders like the ones I played here. De Vrij, among other things, isn’t even in top condition and he already risked not being there against Crotone.”
It will be interesting to see exactly how this tricky situation is navigated, and indeed which side will come out as winners by the time the season ends on May 20.
