La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid have reportedly set their sights on 22-year-old Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Alessandro Bastoni is the subject of interest from Real Madrid over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old Inter Milan defender is also a target for Premier League champions Manchester City.
Alessandro Bastoni joined Inter Milan from fellow Serie A club Atalanta in August 2017. But it was not until the 2019/20 season that the Italian centre-back finally established a foothold in the first-team setup at San Siro. Since then, the youngster has gone from strength to strength, becoming a pivotal figure for the Nerazzurri.
The 22-year-old was particularly colossal last season, where he played a key role in Inter’s Serie A title triumph. Bastoni has continued elevating his levels this term, making 34 appearances across all competitions for Inter Milan. And the player’s exploits have not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid closely monitoring his progress.
The interest from Real Madrid stems from the lack of quality options beyond the first-choice centre-backs, Eder Militao and David Alaba. While Nacho has been a solid asset for Real Madrid over the years, he is a backup option at best. And with the Spaniard on the wrong side of 30, Los Blancos must seek a younger alternative, especially with Jesus Vallejo deemed surplus to requirements.
The Spanish giants have thus been linked with several centre-backs lately, with recent reports suggesting that they are in constant dialogue with Antonio Rudiger. And Bastoni is also a viable target for Real Madrid, with the 22-year-old potentially being a long-term solution at the back.
But Real Madrid will need to fend off stiff competition from Manchester City in the race to sign Bastoni. The Cityzens’ pursuit of the Italian international is perplexing, considering they have three of the best central defenders in the Premier League in their squad.
But the Premier League champions have been linked with several centre-backs lately, including Diego Carlos, with Bastoni now emerging on their radar. Nonetheless, with Carlo Ancelotti a keen admirer of the 22-year-old’s talents, we could soon see Real Madrid try to prise him away from Serie A giants Inter Milan.