Arsenal are reportedly planning to make an ambitious swoop to sign Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni, as per Caught Offside.
The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Serie A, helping the Nerazzurri win two league titles and several other major domestic cup competitions. Furthermore, he helped his side reach two Champions League finals in the last three seasons.
This season, he has continued to display impressive performances, contributing 8 goals and keeping 10 clean sheets in 33 appearances across all competitions.
He has even been guiding Cristian Chivu’s side in mounting a title charge, sitting at the top of the table with a 10-point lead over second-placed AC Milan.
Having proven his worth in club football, Bastoni has established himself as a talismanic figure in the Italian national team, winning the European Championship 2020.
Now, Caught Offside claim that after being impressed by Bastoni’s performances, Arsenal have registered their interest in signing him and have explored his situation before making a potential summer swoop.
However, Liverpool, Barcelona, Chelsea, and Manchester City are all in this race; therefore, the Gunners will have to overcome stiff competition to finalise the operation.
Bastoni to Arsenal
Inter don’t want to part ways with Bastoni, with his existing deal set to run until 2028. They are planning to tie him down to a fresh term until 2030 to fend off potential suitors. However, the Italian giants want more than £87m if they are forced to cash-in on him in the summer.
Bastoni, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is a left-footed, technically gifted centre-back. So, he would be an ideal option to play in Mikel Arteta’s possession-based system.
However, Arsenal already have Gabriel Magalhaes, Piero Hincapié, and Riccardo Calafiori as options to deploy on the left side of the centre-back position. So, they don’t need to invest more to add further depth to this position unless anyone leaves.
Nevertheless, Bastoni is currently at the prime stage of his career. So, he might be a great coup for Arsenal should they purchase him.
It is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his service during the offseason.