Liverpool have joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Serie A star in the January transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur are in a wobbly position at the moment, as results have swung wildly over the last two months. They have dropped to the bottom half of the table and lost back-to-back Premier League games to Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
The Lilywhites’ defence has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks. The backline, which was looking disciplined and organised at the start of the season under Thomas Frank, is now leaking goals at an alarming rate. Spurs have been struggling to keep clean sheets, with the defenders’ confidence, along with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, very low at the moment.
At the same time, injuries and suspensions have affected the stability of the team, particularly in defence. With just six clean sheets in the last 20 games, the need for a new centre-back has never been clear.
Spurs have been linked with several centre-backs, including Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni. Having established himself as one of the finest defenders in Europe in recent years, the north London outfit view Alessandro Bastoni as a long-term solution to their defensive issues. However, it appears they aren’t alone in the pursuit of Inter Milan’s defensive wall.
Inter Milan's Italian defender Alessandro Bastoni is a world-class player.
Inter Milan’s Italian defender Alessandro Bastoni is wanted by Tottenham. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool keeping close tabs on Alessandro Bastoni
According to former Man United and Blackburn Rovers chief scout Mick Brown, Liverpool have been keeping tabs on Bastoni’s performances. The Reds are short in numbers at the back after missing out on Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi on the summer transfer window’s deadline day. As a result, they want to recruit a centre-back in January and are the latest club to show an interest in Bastoni.
“Bastoni is a player I’ve always been a big admirer of,” Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider.
“He’s a fantastic defender and has been brilliant for Inter Milan for a long period of time now, so it’s no surprise these types of clubs are looking at him.
“Liverpool have been keeping a close eye on him because they see him as somebody who would be an improvement on what they’ve got at the moment. He would be a great asset to any club, and one I would certainly recommend they go for.
“They’re not sure what’s happening with Konate, that’s still very much up in the air, and Van Dijk hasn’t looked like his usual dominant self this season.
“So it’s the type of deal Liverpool have to be considering, because they have to be prepared for any possibility if they might need to bring players in.”
Arne Slot's Liverpool have joined Tottenham in the race to sign Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool have joined Tottenham in the race to sign Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan.
Can Tottenham compete with Liverpool to sign Bastoni?
At 26, Bastoni carries pedigree and rich experience, more than capable of slotting in right away at the heart of both the clubs’ defence and improve them.
Liverpool’s need for defensive reinforcements appears a necessity, given the serious knee injury to young Giovanni Leoni has left Arne Slot with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as options in central defence. Recently, Gomez also suffered a hamstring injury, and with games set to come thick and fast in the next couple of months, the Reds definitely need more options in their rearguard.
As for Tottenham, their requirement for a central defender isn’t immediate. Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso are the fit options at the moment. Radu Dragusin and Kota Takai are set to join the squad soon after featuring behind-closed-door friendly earlier this month, while veteran Ben Davies remains an option as well. To put things straight, the signing of a new centre-half can wait until the summer.
That said, however, Bastoni could decide to stay at Inter. The defender has every right to feels no rush to leave the club because he feels happy with his form at Inter. For now, he keeps his focus on club and Italy duty, especially as the World Cup draws closer.