Manchester United have reportedly joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign in-demand Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni. As reported by Calciomercato, the Red Devils are ready to go head-to-head with Spurs to take the highly-rated youngster to the Premier League this summer.
Considering Man United’s embarrassing season, it comes as no surprise that they are frantically looking for the reinforcements. Only last summer, they brought Raphael Varane from Real Madrid. However, the Frenchman experienced a lacklustre maiden campaign in the Premier League.
And while Varane’s mixed performances could be put down to a difficult period of adaptation, there’s no excuse for Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire. Both players struggled to find their feet under departed interim boss Ralf Rangnick, as Man United finished sixth in the Premier League.
It is now up to new manager Erik ten Hag to ring the changes at Old Trafford. Adding a new defender reportedly tops the Dutchman’s list of priorities. Ajax starlet Jurrien Timber has quickly emerged as one of Ten Hag’s targets due to the duo’s collaboration in Amsterdam.
But, Man United may prefer a proven solution as they have a substantial gap on Manchester City and Liverpool to close. Therefore, Bastoni looks like a perfect candidate to wear the coveted red shirt next season. The Italian centre-back would be an immediate upgrade on their current defensive options.
Though Inter would rather keep hold of the 23-year-old, they could sanction his move for around €60m. Knowing Man United’s spending sprees in the recent transfer windows, that’s not a price tag that would deter the English powerhouse from launching an assault on Bastoni in the summer.
Our take on Bastoni’s situation at Inter
Not many young centre-backs in European football have had such an impact on their teams at such young age as Bastoni at Inter. In addition to his well-documented defensive prowess, the youngster has been an instrumental figure in the build-up plays under both Antonio Conte and Simone Inzaghi.
Selling Bastoni would hand Inter’s hopes of challenging for the Scudetto next season a huge blow, and we expect the Nerazzurri to stay immune to potential offers.