
Liverpool
Premier League • England
Liverpool quoted HUGE price for defender who ‘immediately improves’ Arne Slot’s starting XI

Liverpool are interested in Alessandro Bastoni
Liverpool must pay a huge fee to sign Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni this summer, who has been earmarked as a potential replacement for Virgil van Dijk.
Van Dijk, 33, is in the final three months of his Liverpool contract and will leave on a free transfer if he doesn’t sign an extension before the end of June.
As we have consistently reported, Liverpool plan to sign a new centre-back this summer regardless of what happens with Van Dijk. There is also uncertainty surrounding Ibrahima Konate, who is on Real Madrid’s radar.
According to Football Insider, there is a ‘belief’ at Liverpool that Bastoni who ‘immediately improve their starting XI’ and the Reds are seriously considering launching a move.
The 25-year-old, who has helped Inter keep 13 clean sheets in Serie A this season, is reportedly ‘among their leading targets ahead of the summer transfer window.’
Bastoni won’t come cheap, however, as the report states Liverpool ‘will have to pay upwards of £60m’ if they want to land him.
If a transfer is agreed for that fee, it would make him the sixth-most expensive defender of all time, behind Josko Gvardiol, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Van Dijk and Wesley Fofana.
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Bastoni one of four centre-backs tracked by Liverpool – sources
Liverpool have been heavily linked with Bastoni recently. Interestingly, reports from Spain claimed earlier this week that the Reds would be willing to spend over £60m on the talented defender.
Van Dijk’s future could also be tied to whether Liverpool bring in someone like Bastoni who could threaten his place in Arne Slot’s starting XI.
As reported by TEAMtalk contributor Ben Jacobs, Van Dijk wants to understand how much of a role he will play moving forward before he commits his future to Liverpool.
Claims that Van Dijk has already decided to leave Liverpool are wide of the mark from our understanding, but there is a concrete possibility of him leaving this summer.
Van Dijk will have huge boots to fill and Bastoni is one option being looked at by the Reds, but he is not alone.
TEAMtalk understands that Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite are also under consideration.
None of those players would be cheap additions, but Liverpool’s hierarchy are willing to spend on a new, top quality young centre-back, as they see it as an investment for the long term.
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