Liverpool are closing on an £8 million swoop for highly-rated Feyenoord defender Stefan de Vrij.
Brendan Rodgers was in Holland on Sunday to watch the 21-year old lead Feyenoord to a win over Eredivsie leader PSV Eindhoven. Rodgers has long been an admirer of the talented defender, who has been compared to Kop legend Alan Hansen.
Jamie Carragher’s imminent retirement means that Rodgers is looking to shore up his defence with the acquisition of Dutch international de Vrij. The Liverpool manager wants to complete the deal as soon as possible, with Newcastle also monitoring the promising young defender’s progress.
De Vrij is contracted with Feyenoord until 2014, but it is believed there is a gentlemen’s agreement in place that would allow De Vrij to leave Rotterdam if a big European club came looking for his services.
Rodgers has also been linked with Celtic and Nigeria defender Efe Ambrose, but Neil Lennon’s resistance to any approaches means de Vrij has now been marked as Rodger’s top target.
