Alessandro Bastoni on Liverpool radar ahead of Deadline Day
Liverpool made a slow start to this summer’s transfer window but are one of Europe’s busiest sides ahead of Deadline Day. Having already secured deals for Giorgi Mamardashvili and Federico Chiesa, a defender is on Arne Slot’s radar prior to August 30th.
As per journalist Francois Plateau, the Reds are ‘tracking’ Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba in the final days of the transfer window.
Joe Gomez’s future at Anfield remains uncertain and therefore, there is interest from Liverpool in trying to acquire a central defender in case their most versatile option ends up waving goodbye at the last hour.
Bastoni has been terrific for Inter Milan and was being looked at by Real Madrid as well. The Italian was slapped with a price tag of €80 million by Internazionale but there remains interest in him from Europe’s biggest sides, particularly Liverpool.
A transfer for him at this stage of the transfer window would be a difficult proposition given the player’s importance in Inter Milan’s squad although he would be the perfect long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk.
The same could prevail for Leipzig’s Lukeba as he also is a key player for the Bundesliga side.
Liverpool, however, may feel that now would be a good time to execute a deal for Branthwaite. A number of clubs, including themselves and Manchester United, showed hesitance in matching his asking price earlier in the transfer window.
But with Everton’s financial woes showing no respite, they may get rid of the Englishman by cheapening their asking price in the last few hours of the transfer window.
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It remains to be seen if Liverpool indeed make an offer for his purchase but it goes without saying that a centre-back should arrive at Anfield sooner rather than later, more so with lingering doubts over Van Dijk’s future as well.
