Feyenoord will reportedly make a decision on the future of Manchester United target Stefan de Vrij by the close of business on Thursday.
According to Italian source Il Messaggero, Serie A outfit Lazio remain in pole position to land the towering centre-half before the end of the month after submitting a £6million bid and entering into talks with the player’s representatives.
The report claims Feyenoord will announce their intentions in the next five days, as they are reluctant to lose him but acknowledge the difficulty of staving off lucrative offers from overseas.
A source close to Old Trafford told Football Express News that United continue to monitor the situation with interest and boss Louis van Gaal is a keen admirer of his compatriot, who was part of his Netherlands squad in this summer’s World Cup.
The 22-year-old played a key role in van Gaal’s side during their run to the semi-finals in Brazil, at which point they exited the competition following a penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Argentina.
United are desperately short of established central defenders following the departure of veterans Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels remains a top target, with the Premier League giants weighing up the prospect of using a three-man defence next term.