Tottenham Hotspur willing to meet asking price for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni
According to Italian outlet CalcioMercato (h/t football.london), Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to meet the asking price set by Inter Milan to sign defender Alessandro Bastoni in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Manager Antonio Conte would be familiar with Bastoni from his time at Inter last season, having won the Serie A title together and breaking the club’s long-standing Scudetto drought. The head coach would then quit the Nerazzurri last summer, and move to north London late last year.
Despite Conte’s exit, the defender has continued his fine form at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, with the Italian club pushing to win a second successive Scudetto title amidst heavy competition from arch-rivals AC Milan.
Meanwhile, the former Inter Milan manager is trying hard to help his current side secure a top-four spot in the Premier League table by the end of the season. A fine form over the past few weeks has seen Spurs emerge as one of the favourites to finish in UEFA Champions League qualification spots this season.
Conte reunion on the cards
One of the standout players that Tottenham have had this campaign is Cristian Romero, who has impressed at the back and has become a regular in the side. Conte is now keen on a rebuild of the team’s rearguard since the Argentine’s arrival and is hunting for a new left-sided centre-back to partner Romero.
With Bastoni having two years left on his contract by the end of the season, the 23-year-old has emerged as a top target for Spurs. It is said that football director Fabio Paratici is ‘happy’ to begin negotiations for the £38m being asked by Inter for the defender this summer.
Preferring to play in a system that employs a solid back-three, the north London club have been using Romero, Eric Dier, and Ben Davies as the primary central defensive trio to shield captain Hugo Lloris’ net.
However, they have proven to be inconsistent at times, leading to Conte requiring defensive reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window. Romero, despite his dazzling displays on the pitch, has been guilty of this flaw as well.
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In Bastoni, Tottenham have identified a player who not only has prior experience working with Conte, but also a star who is well versed with the tactics required to be followed in a back-three.
This makes him an attractive option for the Lilywhites at the end of the season. At 23, he has a long way to go before he enters the prime years of his career and Spurs would do well to make sure that he reaches his peak at N17. If Conte really desires the Italian, then the board would be smart to trust the gaffer’s gut because after all, they worked together as recently as last season at Inter.
