Reports suggest Chelsea are interested in Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni as Xabi Alonso looks to solve the club’s defensive problems. The 27-year-old attracted plenty of interest over the summer and is believed to be of interest to Liverpool and Manchester City, too. No official bid has been made, nor have personal terms been agreed, with the interest still at the early stages.
Alonso is a fan of the three-man defence, and it is thought Chelsea’s interest is because of Bastoni’s pedigree in that system. The left-footed defender has been a regular for the Nerazzurri and has featured in all five of Inter’s Serie A games so far this season.
The Italian is entering the final two years of his contract, which runs until 2028, and that could reduce Inter’s bargaining power. But the Serie A champions held out for a valuation of around £70m and turned down Barcelona’s advances in the summer. The defender would command a huge sum from any suitor.
Bastoni joined Inter from Atalanta in 2017 and made his first-team debut two years later after loan spells elsewhere. He has since won three Serie A titles, including last season’s, three Coppa Italia trophies and three Supercoppa Italiana crowns.
Alonso’s Back Three Shapes Chelsea Defensive Plans
Chelsea are weighing up defensive reinforcements ahead of the January window, and Bastoni is one of a number of players to be linked with Stamford Bridge. The Blues have also been linked with a potential move for another centre-back, in Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov, who is comfortable playing in a three-man system.
Chelsea have conceded 12 goals in their first five Premier League games, and the need for action stems from a worrying defensive record. They went into the international break having lost to Brentford 3-0, their 22nd league game without a clean sheet.
Chelsea have already splashed out a reported £52m on Maxence Lacroix over the summer, but there remain structural problems at the back. Alonso’s side return to domestic action at Stamford Bridge against Bournemouth on October 10, hoping for a long-overdue game without conceding.