Liverpool and Manchester City are reportedly keen on signing 27-year-old Italian international Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in Alessandro Bastoni. The 27-year-old Inter Milan defensive powerhouse is also a target for Barcelona. However, the Premier League clubs are contemplating hijacking the Catalan club’s move for the solid centre-back in the coming months.
How has Alessandro Bastoni fared at Inter Milan?
Alessandro Bastoni has established himself as one of the world’s best centre-backs since joining Inter Milan from Atalanta in August 2017. The 26-year-old took some time to establish a foothold in the first-team squad at San Siro, but he has not looked back since enjoying his breakthrough in the 2019/20 season.
The Italian international has made nearly 300 appearances for Inter Milan thus far while chipping in with seven goals and 30 assists. Meanwhile, Bastoni’s progress has piqued the attention of several high-profile clubs. Liverpool, Manchester City, and Barcelona are among the prospective suitors vying for his signature this year.
A man in demand
Liverpool’s interest in the Inter Milan mainstay makes sense. While Jeremy Jacquet will arrive from Stade Rennais after the 2025/26 season, they need a new centre-back. Ibrahima Konate’s long-term future remains uncertain despite suggestions of a renewal. Additionally, Joe Gomez may depart from Anfield this summer, while Virgil van Dijk is approaching the twilight of his career.
Meanwhile, Alessandro Bastoni has been on Barcelona’s radar for a long time. The continued interest is understandable, as Andreas Christensen faces an uncertain future at Spotify Camp Nou. Additionally, Ronald Araujo has been unreliable in recent seasons. So, Barcelona must sign a new centre-back, and recent reports have claimed that Bastoni wants to move to Camp Nou.
As for Manchester City, it is surprising that Bastoni is a target for the Premier League club. While John Stones and Nathan Ake face an uncertain future at the Etihad, Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guehi have forged a solid central defensive partnership. Additionally, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are two other world-class centre-backs in Pep Guardiola’s squad.
So, it makes no sense for Manchester City to pursue Bastoni’s signature, even though they are considering hijacking Barcelona’s move for the 27-year-old Italian international. Meanwhile, the Premier League clubs may have an opportunity to steal a march on Barcelona, as the Blaugrana would prefer to sign Bastoni for €60 million, while Inter Milan would want to recoup €70-80 million from his departure.
