Inside Liverpool’s Continued Interest in Alessandro Bastoni

Liverpool’s rebuild this summer touched almost every part of the squad, but the work in central defence doesn’t appear to be finished. According to TeamTalk, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni remains on Liverpool’s radar as the club continues to plan for the long term at the back.

A Squad Still Being Shaped

Andoni Iraola inherited a group that clearly still needs refining, and the money already spent over the last year and a half reflects how much change has been required. Even with the heavy investment already made, Liverpool are said to be monitoring several positions closely, with central defence one of the areas still under the microscope.

Why Bastoni Makes Sense

This isn’t a new name floating around Anfield. Bastoni has been admired for a while, and the report suggests genuine groundwork has already gone into establishing what a deal might look like. Inter are believed to value the 27 year old at close to £70m, a fee that reflects both his age and his standing as one of Serie A’s most complete defenders.

From a supporters’ point of view, this is the kind of link that grabs attention for good reason. Bastoni carries genuine pedigree, he’s comfortable on the ball, aggressive without possession, and has the profile of a defender who could walk into a leadership role rather than simply provide squad depth. If Liverpool really are thinking about succession planning at centre-back, aiming this high is reassuring rather than alarming.

The Van Dijk Question Looms Large

There’s a broader point worth making here too. Liverpool cannot afford to let the centre-back position drift into a reactive problem further down the line. Virgil van Dijk has been such a towering figure for so long that finding his eventual replacement was never going to be about finding a carbon copy. It’s about finding someone with the presence to anchor the next chapter of the defence, and Bastoni’s reputation puts him firmly in that conversation.

A fee in the region of £70m for a centre-back is a serious outlay by any measure, but genuinely top-class defenders in their prime rarely come cheap, and Liverpool have shown in recent windows that they’re prepared to spend when they believe the profile fits. Bastoni appears to tick the footballing boxes and, by all accounts, the character ones too, the kind of player who could handle the pressure that comes with a move to a club of Liverpool’s size.

Our Take

Interest alone doesn’t mean a deal is close, and links like this tend to simmer for months before anything concrete develops. But it’s a sensible one to have on the list. If Iraola wants a defender capable of building attacks from the back, competing physically and eventually leading the dressing room, there aren’t many better options being quietly discussed right now. Supporters will hope this turns into more than just background admiration before next summer arrives.