Man Utd want to sign Serie A’s best defender – journalist

Manchester United are ‘interested’ in bringing Inter Milan central defender Alessandro Bastoni to Old Trafford in the summer of 2026, according to a journalist, as TEAMtalk reveals Liverpool’s ‘dream’ to sign him as Virgil van Dijk’s successor and whether the Italian star would be open to leaving his club.

Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Ayden Heaven and Tyler Fredricson are the centre-back options for Man Utd interim manager Michael Carrick.

Maguire is out of contract at Man Utd at the end of the season, but sources have told our transfer insider, Dean Jones, that the club’s co-owners, INEOS, are willing to hand the Englishman a new contract.

We understand that Maguire himself is ready to take a pay cut and extend his stay at Man Utd.

However, like all elite clubs in Europe, Man Utd are always monitoring top-class players, and Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni is now on their radar.

Bastoni has been at Inter since the summer of 2017 and is under contract at the Italian club until 2028.

The 26-year-old, who clinched Euro 2020 with Italy, has won the Scudetto twice with Inter and was named the best defender in Serie A for the 2024/25 campaign and in the 2023/24 season.

According to transfer journalist Ekram Konur, Man Utd are among the clubs interested in a 2026 summer deal for Bastoni.

The reporter, who has almost 250,000 followers on X, has revealed Arsenal’s interest in Bastoni, too, which is backed by the Italian media.

The journalist wrote on X at 10:36am on February 15, 2026: “Arsenal are monitoring Inter Milan’s CB Alessandro Bastoni ahead of the summer window!

“Inter consider him ‘priceless’, reluctant to sell.

“Barcelona, Man United & Real Madrid also interested.

“Any move would require a significant fee.”

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Alessandro Bastoni open to Inter Milan exit – sources

Our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, reported on December 20, 2025, that Liverpool have set their sights on a 2026 summer deal for Bastoni.

We reported at the time that Liverpool view Bastoni as ‘a dream successor for Virgil van Dijk’.

Van Dijk is 34 now, and while Jeremy Jacquet will move to Liverpool from Rennes in the summer of 2026, the French central defender is only 20.

Giovanni Leoni will be another option for Liverpool manager Arne Slot next season when he fully recovers from his anterior cruciate ligament injury, but the Italian centre-back is just 19.

Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, while Joe Gomez is injury-prone, so the Reds could do with signing a new senior centre-back this summer.

We also understand that Man Utd will face competition for Bastoni from Manchester City and Chelsea.

Encouragingly for Man Utd, though, Bastoni is open to leaving Inter and moving abroad.

A source with knowledge of the situation told us in December 2025: “Alessandro is happy at Inter, and in Italy, but at 26, there is the belief he might look to try his hand abroad.

“He is at the top of his game, and not many in the world currently compare to him.

“2026 is going to be a big year for him.”

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Latest Man Utd transfer news: Newcastle raid, Alexis Mac Allister truth

Meanwhile, Man Utd are said to be ready to make a big bid to convince Newcastle United to sell them their star winger.

Man Utd are also planning raids on Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund for their full-backs.

And finally, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed whether Man Utd are truly interested in raiding Liverpool for Alexis Mac Allister.