Inter defender Stefan de Vrij is set to start for the Nerazzurri in tomorrow evening’s Serie A match away to Salernitana.
This according to Italian news outlet Gazzetta.it, who report that th3 31-year-old Dutch international will start as part of a heavily rotated lineup, with the likes of Kristjan Asllani and potentially also Raoul Bellanova starting.
De Vrij has found playing time somewhat hard to come by this season, with the arrival of Francesco Acerbi last summer having given him serious competition for the starting spot in the centre of the back three.
Given that Acerbi has been first-choice in the role more often than not this season, the Dutch former Lazio and Feyenoord defender has been far from immovable at the heart of the Nerazzurri’s defense has he had been in seasons gone by, particularly under Antonio Conte.
However, this does not mean that de Vrij has been without his opportunities.
The 31-year-old had previously put in an outstanding performance against Barcelona in the Champions League in October, whilst he has made a number of league appearances both from the start and from the bench.
Moreover, the Dutchman still appears to have the faith of the club, as he is reportedly close to agreeing a new two-year contract at the same wages that he currently earns.
The fact that the Nerazzurri face a massively important match against Benfica in the Champions League next week means that Inter coach Simone Inzaghi is ready to rotate significantly for tomorrow’s match.
This will mean that 21-year-old Albanian international Asllani is set to start in midfield, whilst Bellanova could have a chance of starting on the right flank.
Meanwhile, in attack the Gazzetta report that Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez could be the starting pair to lead the line for Inter at the Arechi.
