Agent suggests Tottenham Hotspur could still sign Alessandro Bastoni despite player’s stance
Tottenham Hotspur could still sign Alessandro Bastoni despite his stance to stay with Inter Milan, says his agent Tullio Tinti. They are desperate to reunite the defender with Antonio Conte at N17 and are looking to add him to their ranks this summer.
Conte is a keen admirer of Bastoni, which has seen the central defender become one of Tottenham’s primary targets ahead of the next season. The centre-back is viewed as a perfect candidate to bolster the left-hand side of the backline, which they are eager to strengthen this summer.
Speaking to the Italian television channel Sportitalia as relayed by Football Italia (h/t Mail Online), Tinti has admitted that Bastoni would be more than delighted to stay with Inter moving forward. However, in a boost to Spurs, his agent has hinted at a potential transfer by advising the centre-half to “adjust” to the market as a professional.
“He [Bastoni] is certainly a big fan of the team he plays for, so he will happily remain at Inter. It’s clear he is very happy to play for Inter and feels this jersey like a tattoo on his skin. However, he is also a professional. This is football and he has to adjust.”
Spurs to increase pressure?
It is understandable why the North Londoners have decided to focus on the left centre-back position ahead of the upcoming campaign. After all, we do lack a natural option in that role, considering how the Italian manager had to resort to using Ben Davies as a makeshift central defender.
Davies, who has deputized in that role quite often for Wales national team, has done quite well as a starter since Conte took over the reins back in November. However, there have been times when the full-back’s deficiencies have been taken advantage of, which is normal, as he is not a centre-back in trade.
As such, securing Bastoni’s signature would significantly boost our defensive quality ahead of the next term. The Italian’s intention to stay in Milan had caused some concerns within the fanbase, but this latest admission from his agent would still give them hope for this summer.
Fabio Paratici and co are optimistic that they can reach an agreement with the 23-year-old defender for a potential move this summer. That is despite his hesitancy to depart Simone Inzaghi’s side, and now, the English club would probably be more confident about their chances.
Conte has come in and significantly improved our backline, but it is still not enough if we want to become title challengers moving forward. Bastoni would be a statement signing indeed, so the board must do their best to back the boss by reuniting him with his former player.
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At his age, Bastoni can sort out a big headache for us in our backline for years to come. It is important for Conte to have reliable men at the back given how much his system depends on solidity in defence.
