Journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Inter Milan will demand big money for Liverpool target Alessandro Bastoni this summer.
The 26-year-old is one of many centre-backs to have been linked with the Reds of late, as they eye an elite signing at the heart of their defence.
Bastoni has emerged as one of the leading defenders in Serie A currently, and he is also likely to start for Italy at the 2026 World Cup, should they qualify.
Speaking on his YouTube channel [via Rousing The Kop], Romano claimed that Inter will only consider selling the Italian if a mammoth bid comes in for him.
“For Inter Bastoni is an absolutely crucial player, they would ask I think for big, big, big money,” Romano said.
“This is not an easy deal in terms of negotiations. At the moment there is an appreciation [from Barcelona] but nothing else.
“I think at Tottenham there is a situation to clarify with the centre-backs,” he said. “Now it’s time to fight to stay in the Premier League and try their best possible in the Champions League. But in the summer it’s going to be time to clarify the future of defenders.
“Cuti Romero and or Micky van de Ven, I don’t see Tottenham selling both of them, but there is obviously a lot of attention in the players. Several clubs are following these situations.”
Is Alessandro Bastoni Liverpool’s best centre-back target?
There is so much to like about Bastoni from a Liverpool perspective, with the Inter ace an experienced player, but also young enough to improve further.
He now has 291 appearances to his name for the Serie A giants, and 41 caps for Italy, while Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi recently said of him: “He’s a spectacular centre-back. I’ve only seen him play a few times, but we all know the level he’s at.”
The fact that Inter are demanding such huge money for Bastoni is a clear issue, though, which is why a different centre-back option may need to be looked at.
Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck may make more sense, for example, considering he only has a year-and-a-bit remaining on his current deal, meaning they could get him for cheaper.