Liverpool are showing a hint of urgency in the transfer market in the week prior to Deadline Day. With Giorgi Mamardashvili and Federico Chiesa’s signatures in the bag, they are reportedly after a defender with Joe Gomez’s future in doubt.
According to journalist Francois Plateau, the Reds are ‘tracking’ Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni ahead of a possible deadline day swoop. The Italian is not the only player on their shortlist with Jarrad Branthwaite and Castello Lukeba also said to be targets.
Bastoni has previously been linked with a move away from Internazionale but in order to fend off interest, he was slapped with a £67 million price tag.
Branthwaite will also cost closer to the mark having been priced at £75 million earlier in the transfer window but Lukeba could be a slightly cheaper alternative.
Bastoni move difficult for Liverpool
Though Liverpool have showed ambition in the transfer window, their interest in Alessandro Bastoni may be a bit too optimistic at this stage of the transfer window.
The Reds are unlikely to get their man this summer as he remains a very vital player for Inter Milan, who would not have any time to sign a quality replacement if Bastoni were to depart the club.
Moreover, the central defender has already set his sights on winning the Scudetto this season which could be an indication that he is very much invested in Simone Inzaghi’s project at the Giuseppe Meazza.
Bastoni would, however, be a terrific long-term target for Liverpool as they need to plan for life after Virgil van Dijk, whose future at Anfield remains doubtful off the back of a deal which ends in 2025.
The Serie A central defender is one of the very best in the world and having been developed in a league that is widely regarded for its defensive nature, there is every reason to believe he can be a worthy successor for Van Dijk.
As we head into the final hours of the window, there is practically no chance that Liverpool are able to secure a deal for Bastoni at this late stage.
