Inter Milan have successfully kept hold of Alessandro Bastoni in news which comes as a significant blow to Manchester United and Tottenham just hours before the summer transfer window opens.
The Premier League duo were linked with the Italy international as they aim to address deficiencies at the heart of their respective defences. Bastoni, 23, won the Coppa Italia with Inter this season and Serie A the previous campaign, while he was also part of the Azzurri squad which triumphed at Euro 2020 last summer.
He extended his contract at San Siro last year and has two seasons remaining on his deal in Lombardy. Bastoni's agent, Tullio Tinti, met with Inter chiefs on Wednesday afternoon and declared his client "will definitely stay" with the club as he emerged from the talks.
"He will definitely stay here," Tinti said of the player. "He has a contract at Inter, he's happy. It is not a problem." This revelation over Bastoni's future means United and Spurs chiefs will need to turn to other targets to strengthen at centre-back, with the summer window opening this Friday.
The up-and-coming Jurrien Timber is one of the names tipped to move to Old Trafford ahead of the 2022/23 season and such a switch would see him reunite with Erik ten Hag, his former manager at Ajax. Villarreal stalwart Pau Torres is also on the Red Devils' radar but Chelsea are rivalling them for the Spaniard's signature.
Spurs, meanwhile, are said to have been monitoring RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol and Lille's Sven Botman, with the latter also a target for Newcastle and AC Milan. Antonio Conte's side have already made two signings this summer, securing the services of Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster on free transfers from Inter and Southampton respectively.
Which centre-backs should Manchester United and Tottenham target this summer? Have your say in the comments!
However, former Tottenham ace Chris Waddle is adamant the North Londoners should be focussing their attention on bringing in a centre-back as a matter of priority. "Ivan Perisic is a strange signing because he's not the most physical player, doesn't have the best stamina, and he's joining a league where you do need a pair of legs," Waddle said.
"He's a free transfer, and it's a little bit against Tottenham's policies to sign someone like Perisic, but clearly Conte has got his way there, and there will probably be two or three more additions. They need to get another centre-back. I know they've got Joe Rodon, who plays really well for Wales, but he can't seem to get a look in."
