Manchester United are looking to trump Barcelona to sign Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni in the summer, according to Fichajes.
Bastoni completed a move to Inter from Atalanta in 2017 and was incorporated into the club’s academy structure, where he impressed for both the U17 and U19 teams.
Following loan spells away with Atalanta and Parma Calcio 1913, he made his senior debut for the Nerazzurri on 28 September 2019 during a 3–1 victory over Genoa and has remained an indispensable figure in the side, accumulating 298 appearances for the Nerazzurri.
He has played a central role in the club’s achievements in recent years, enjoying a highly successful spell that has delivered three Serie A titles, including one from the ongoing season, two Coppa Italia trophies, and three Supercoppa Italiana wins, while also forming part of the Simone Inzaghi side that reached last season’s UEFA Champions League final.
The 6ft 2in centre-back has once again been vital to the defensive resilience of Cristian Chivu’s title-winning Inter side this season.
In recent weeks, Bastoni has been reportedly linked with a move to Barcelona, but it appears Man Utd are looking to steal a march on the Spanish champions, with Fichajes reporting that Michael Carrick’s side have now ‘strongly’ entered the race to sign the centre-back.
Experienced centre-back
Following injuries to several defenders, the 20-time champions of England are looking to bolster their backline next season with world-class players and have identified the Italian as a good fit for the dominant centre-back profile they are looking for, citing his experience and leadership qualities, according to the report.
While Inter are keen on retaining the Italy international at San Siro, they could ‘seriously consider’ offers around £60m for Bastoni amid interest from United, who are financially buoyant enough to meet their valuation, Fichajes adds.
Despite the noticeable defensive improvement shown since the beginning of the year, the continued fitness concerns surrounding Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martínez indicate that United still require reliable and experienced defensive reinforcements.
Bastoni would be a good option for the Reds in the next stage of their rebuilding process, as he embodies every quality on and off the pitch to lead United’s backline as they look to compete for major honours next season.
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