Man Utd are reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.
After yet another impressive season with the Serie A giants, the 23-year-old has piqued the interest of the majority of Europe’s top clubs.
According to La Gazetta dello Sport, the Manchester United are not the only Premier League club he has caught the eye of.
Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, both of whom have qualified for next season’s Champions League, are supposedly keen on signing the player, who previously played for Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte in Milan.
And, given that United have yet to qualify for Europe’s elite club contest, it’s difficult to imagine the sought-after Italian selecting them over City and Tottenham.
Erik Ten Hag, the new manager of Manchester United, is expected to be given a large transfer budget to help revive and repair what is really a limp and lifeless squad by the end of the 2021/22 season.
The Dutchman has already requested a “full report” to determine who is ready to join his squad next season, and with the financial support he is expected to receive from United, he may not be stopped by Inter’s €60 million (£51 million) asking price.
While Inter are hesitant to sell their best players, they face similar issues that forced them to sell Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea last season.
The club desperately needs to balance its books, and it is believed that, while they appreciate Bastoni tremendously, they are more concerned with keeping star striker Lautaro Martinez.
With several of Europe’s top clubs already interested, the transfer of the 23-year-old defenderstar represents a quick way for the Serie A runners-up to bring in some much-needed cash.
With Utd’s failure to play in the Champions League next season, it’s difficult to see why anyone would want to join them, and even more so when Premier League Winners City are an option.
Tottenham are a more appealing option, defeating Arsenal to fourth place and being managed by the player’s former boss Conte, who maintains a close relationship with the defender.