Stefan de Vrij

gooDevil

Worst scout ever
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Messages
25,160
Location
The Kids are the Future
No thread on this guy so I thought I'd start one.

He's a center back, 22 years old, 1.88 meters (6'2") and only a year left on his contract.

Apparently he's been shopped for 8mil euros previously and one report suggest Feyenoord are now asking for 10mil euros.

Not a whole lot of stories out there, but the casinos have their head close to the rail on these things so it's telling that betting has been suspended on Stefan de Vrij moving to United.

Stefan de Vrij – Feyenoord – Betting suspended

Latest reports suggest United and Feyenoord have agreed a fee that will see the 22-year-old defender move to Old Trafford.

http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/foo...ee-de-vrij-fee-dutch-stars-follow_201972.html
 
I would be very surprised if we were in for him. He isn't world class but he's 22 and will only get better. Then again, we have Jones, Smalling, Evans and possibly Keane, so potential isn't what we are lacking in defence at the moment. We need experience.
 
If Ladbrokes have said we are in for him then it's set in concrete I think. Just need William Hill to back it up now.
 
He's very composed on the ball and a good passer.

No idea how he is defensively though.

His defensive game has impressed me during the group stages, he seems quite quick and agile for someone so big.
 
Last edited:
He's looked good in the World Cup so far, but I can't say I've ever seen him play before this. But a ball playing defender is never something to turn down.
 
Hmm... I'm not fully convinced on either Indi or de Vrij. I think both will be soon replaced by Kongolo and Rekik, who are younger but look like they'll be a lot better.
 
Yes, from what I've seen, both De Vrij and Martins Indi look good not great. We already have Jones, Smalling and Evans with a lot of promise between them - we need to be looking at a more established CB.
 
I like him more than any other Netherlands defender. I think he is more tactically astute of the lot.
 
He looked better than Indi in this world cup. However except the world cup games, I haven't ever seen him playing so no idea how good he is.
 
He wanted to join Lazio this summer, they made a bid for him but aren't willing to pay more than 5.5 million Euro, that's where it has stalled last week.

His defensive game has impressed me during the group stages, he seems quite quick and agile for someone so big.

Here I am again nagging on Dutch players, but believe me, De Vrij is not particularly quick or agile at all. Compared to Smalling, Jones and Evans you might even say that's he's slow and immobile. Pretty composed on the ball though, he's good at 'Cruyff-turning' attackers and then playing a pass into midfield. Looked really solid in the Dutch back three, but in a back two he would get exposed at the World Cup. That goes for all Holland defenders at the moment, hence the three/five man defense.

You could say De Vrij is a Pique style defender, and he's pretty intelligent, but Vlaar and BMI are the better real defenders. De Vrij was stripped of captaincy of Feyenoord after making some very silly defensive mistakes at the start of last season. Later it turned out he was also working with a personal trainer to get more strenght and he didn't inform Feyenoords coaching staff of that, so they were annoyed because of the injury risk and all.

Lazio or a nice Bundesliga club seems like a good step in his career. Would be very surprised if we were in for De Vrij, he suits the Van Gaal philosophy sure, but there are so many better options available, plus we would still lack that left footed central defender LVG always likes. Feyenoord only want 7 million Pounds (10 million euro) for him though, for that money you'll never know who's interested.
 
@Henrik Larsson Yeah, I read about his being stripped of the Feyenoord captaincy and it doesn't put him in the most flattering of lights. As for his pace; you know I rate your opinion and expertise on Dutch players and in this case it's left me a bit confused as I've been impressed by how quick he's off the mark more than once during the WC. Not saying he's greased lightning but from looking at him I figured he'd be sluggish and he doesn't seem to be.
 
He wanted to join Lazio this summer, they made a bid for him but aren't willing to pay more than 5.5 million Euro, that's where it has stalled last week.



Here I am again nagging on Dutch players, but believe me, De Vrij is not particularly quick or agile at all. Compared to Smalling, Jones and Evans you might even say that's he's slow and immobile. Pretty composed on the ball though, he's good at 'Cruyff-turning' attackers and then playing a pass into midfield. Looked really solid in the Dutch back three, but in a back two he would get exposed at the World Cup. That goes for all Holland defenders at the moment, hence the three/five man defense.

You could say De Vrij is a Pique style defender, and he's pretty intelligent, but Vlaar and BMI are the better real defenders. De Vrij was stripped of captaincy of Feyenoord after making some very silly defensive mistakes at the start of last season. Later it turned out he was also working with a personal trainer to get more strenght and he didn't inform Feyenoords coaching staff of that, so they were annoyed because of the injury risk and all.

Lazio or a nice Bundesliga club seems like a good step in his career. Would be very surprised if we were in for De Vrij, he suits the Van Gaal philosophy sure, but there are so many better options available, plus we would still lack that left footed central defender LVG always likes. Feyenoord only want 7 million Pounds (10 million euro) for him though, for that money you'll never know who's interested.

Jesus are there any Dutch players you do like?
 
Last edited:
@Henrik Larsson Yeah, I read about his being stripped of the Feyenoord captaincy and it doesn't put him in the most flattering of lights. As for his pace; you know I rate your opinion and expertise on Dutch players and in this case it's left me a bit confused as I've been impressed by how quick he's off the mark more than once during the WC. Not saying he's greased lightning but from looking at him I figured he'd be sluggish and he doesn't seem to be.

Nah I'd say a bit 'sluggish' sounds about right. But he seems to be super fit and a lot of times looking fast comes down to perfect timing. I've seen him miss time challenges so much that perhaps I'm prejudiced and he's improved massively, don't know. Still, talking in terms of acceleration, top speed and agility, I would say he's dead average on all three of them, not Van Buyten slow, not exactly 'fast' either, really a bit like Pique I guess. De Vrij has fast feet when he's on the ball though.

But the likes Ramos, or Varane, Koscielny, Jones, Thiago Silva, that's what I would call defenders with excellent acceration, top speed and agility. And like I said, playing with three at the back might give a really strange view on the quality of a defender, because Vlaar has looked like Vidic in his prime for us this World Cup.

Jesus are there any Dutch players you do like?

Had to think really hard, Naci Unavar comes to mind, sick skills.














Too bad that Naci dude is only 12 years old or something. If we're talking grown ups Van der Vaart and RVP are my two favourites, especially Rafa, he is such a beautiful combination of brilliant talent and a body that's not made for 90 minutes of football.
 
Last edited:
How do you pronounce his surname?

Had a guy at work come up to me and say that United are close to signing "Steven the Fridge" :lol:

'The fridge' could actually be a pretty cool nickname for him if we did sign him :p
 
I don't consider de Vrij or Martins Indi United quality. Blind could maybe an option if we need a backup for CM and LB like O'Shea but this summer we have to sign a CB but of real quality.
 
I don't think we need another young centre back, we already have Jones and Smalling who have both shown great potential at times and badly need games. Evans is still quite young for a centre back too, so I hope the centre back we sign can add experience and also be OK with not starting every single game. In that way I kind understood the Vermaelen link, other than the fact Vermaelen is shite, of course.
 
I don't think we need another young centre back, we already have Jones and Smalling who have both shown great potential at times and badly need games. Evans is still quite young for a centre back too, so I hope the centre back we sign can add experience and also be OK with not starting every single game. In that way I kind understood the Vermaelen link, other than the fact Vermaelen is shite, of course.

I'd take a young centre back if it was someone like Varane but that aside agreed, while none of our centre backs have exactly cemented their position down it's pointless bringing another in for rotation, we need to get a consistent paring going.
 
I dont think it will be one centre back signing....i think it will be 2. One squad player (Vermaelen?), one nailed on starter (Hummels??).
 
I dont think it will be one centre back signing....i think it will be 2. One squad player (Vermaelen?), one nailed on starter (Hummels??).
That's overkill IMO. 5CB (all of them under 30) is too much IMO.
 
He is prone to make vital mistakes and looses hois head when things are going against him or his team. Veldman at Ajax is a better footballing CB
 
Whe you consider how many games Evans, Jones, and Smalling have missed over the last 2 years then we're going to need 5 as minimum.
We also have Keane and Thorpe. He is around the same age and is he better? NO. He has more experience in that Koeman palyed a lot of youngsters at Feyenoord. I would noy be surprised if Koeman went for hom at Southmapton if Lovren left
 
Whe you consider how many games Evans, Jones, and Smalling have missed over the last 2 years then we're going to need 5 as minimum.

Those three are not going to be injury prone forever(and if they will we have to consider cutting our losses). Also, de Vrji is definitely not good enough.
 
Well our manager doesn't rate him as highly
De Vrij has more experience as he has been in the Feyenoord for a few years. This has been Veldman's break through season. Before that he had Vertongen and Alderwerld ahead of him. Aslo Martins Indi plays alongside de Vrij at Feyenoord so it is logical that LVG plays the 2 of them together in the National team
 
We also have Keane and Thorpe. He is around the same age and is he better? NO. He has more experience in that Koeman palyed a lot of youngsters at Feyenoord. I would noy be surprised if Koeman went for hom at Southmapton if Lovren left
You're kidding yourself if you think Keane or Thorpe would perform as well in his place.
 
You're kidding yourself if you think Keane or Thorpe would perform as well in his place.
I see him week in week out at Feyenoord. This Dutch team is not particlarly good. They are heavily dependent opn Sneijder, Robben and Van Persie. Keane and Thorpe I mention as back ups. We have Jones and Smalling who are also young. If we went for a CB we should go for an experienced one not another young potential. De Vrij does not fit the bill I'm afraid
 
De Vrij has more experience as he has been in the Feyenoord for a few years. This has been Veldman's break through season. Before that he had Vertongen and Alderwerld ahead of him. Aslo Martins Indi plays alongside de Vrij at Feyenoord so it is logical that LVG plays the 2 of them together in the National team

And also logical that he'd go for De Vrij instead
 
Nah I'd say a bit 'sluggish' sounds about right. But he seems to be super fit and a lot of times looking fast comes down to perfect timing. I've seen him miss time challenges so much that perhaps I'm prejudiced and he's improved massively, don't know. Still, talking in terms of acceleration, top speed and agility, I would say he's dead average on all three of them, not Van Buyten slow, not exactly 'fast' either, really a bit like Pique I guess. De Vrij has fast feet when he's on the ball though.

But the likes Ramos, or Varane, Koscielny, Jones, Thiago Silva, that's what I would call defenders with excellent acceration, top speed and agility. And like I said, playing with three at the back might give a really strange view on the quality of a defender, because Vlaar has looked like Vidic in his prime for us this World Cup.



Had to think really hard, Naci Unavar comes to mind, sick skills.




Too bad that Naci dude is only 12 years old or something. If we're talking grown ups Van der Vaart and RVP are my two favourites, especially Rafa, he is such a beautiful combination of brilliant talent and a body that's not made for 90 minutes of football.


Quite sad how that field play at 4:00 is better then 99% of what every england club has ever shown, and its by 12 yr olds.