Stefan De Vrij’s contract talks with Lazio have stalled over the possible inclusion of a release clause as the defender is being targeted by Liverpool and Juventus

According to a report by Calciomercato, Stefan De Vrij has stalled contract talks with Lazio over the inclusion of a release clause as the defender is understood to be a priority target for Juventus and Liverpool. The Dutchman has not signed a new contract with Lazio yet since he is pitching for a release clause to be included in his new deal.

Stefan De Vrij was one of the most wanted defenders in Europe over the summer. In fact, both Juve and Liverpool were interested in making deals with the Dutchman. The fact that his contract will expire come June 2018, only makes him a quality prospect for both clubs, considering their dire need of reinforcements in the back.

De Vrij impressed for Lazio last season as they finished fifth in the table. The Dutchman has 30 caps for his country and was also a part of the 2014 World Cup squad in Brazil. Since moving to Lazio in the summer of 2014, the defender has completed only 71 appearances, with injuries limiting his playing time during his second year at the Rome club.

Having said that, there is no questioning the player’s defensive solidity as his 6 ft 3 inch figure can prove to be a real dangerous presence at the back to restrict opposition attackers.

ROME, ITALY - DECEMBER 01: Stefan De Vrij of SS Lazio afther Training at Formello Center on December 1, 2016 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images)
Exit from Rome on the cards? (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images)

Liverpool have been quite adept at scoring goals and attacking the opposition this season but they have also been pretty careless with regard to allowing the opposition to score. Dejan Lovren cannot be overplayed while Ragnar Klavan creates more problems for the team instead of minimizing them.

Hence, De Vrij can be a good candidate to make their defence stronger. The Merseyside club were also linked with signing Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, but that move did not go through,making  de Vrij a worthy alternative since he does have better experience when compared to the Saints man.

As far as Juventus are concerned, they will need somebody to fill the void left behind by Leonardo Bonucci and Dani Alves after they joined AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain respectively. While the move came as a major shock to the fans, Massimiliano Allegri will have quite a task on his hands as he looks to re-build the Juventus defence.

Last season, the Italian champions received a lot of praise for their tight back line and De Vrij can be a good alternative. He is also likely to be a more comfortable fit at Juventus given his vastly superior ability on the ball and his fine range of passing.

It remains to be seen whether Juventus are able to triumph over Liverpool as they tussle for his signature but whichever club signs him, will surely benefit from the Dutch defender’s capabilities.

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