Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman only had words of praise when discussing Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij.
The 31-year-old isn’t always a starter, but has been a reliable option at the back for both club and country.
The Dutchman has been a stalwart for the Nerazzurri since joining the club on a free transfer from Lazio in 2018.
Despite an underwhelming last campaign, the management opted to renew his stay at the Giuseppe Meazza until 2025.
De Vrij has now joined his national team’s camp and is preparing to take the field on Saturday night.
Amidst the Netherlands’ current injury crisis, Koeman will resort to the services of the experienced Inter defender.
The former Everton and Barcelona manager lauds de Vrij for his great professionalism.
“I’ve known Stefan since his time at Feyenoord, so we have a good bond,” said the Dutch tactician in his pre-match press conference via FcInterNews.
“But he’s been joining the national team for quite some time now with the presumption that he probably won’t feature in the starting lineup.
“But I have a lot of respect for Stefan because I see how he deals with the situation and how professionally he behaves.”
The Oranje will host the Republic of Ireland in Amsterdam in their penultimate Euro 2024 qualifier. A win will largely book their spot in next summer’s tournament.
Inter Milan wingback Denzel Dumfries was also present at the press conference. The 27-year-old offered some reassuring words regarding his physical condition.