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Manchester United will have to ward off competition from Manchester City for the services of Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.
There is speculation that Bastoni could be on the move when the summer transfer window opens.
The player’s terms at the San Siro expire in 2024 and there is still no concrete indication that he will put pen to paper on a new deal to extend his stay with Inter.
The Serie A giants will have to sell the 24-year-old this summer to avoid the possibility of losing him out on a free next year.
Fichajes reports, “Manchester United and Manchester City are interested in taking over the services of Alessandro Bastoni in the next transfer window. A new edition of the Manchester derby for the signing of one of the best centre-backs in Serie A today.”
“This season he has six assists in 33 games played in all competitions, which has caught the attention of the two teams from the city of Manchester.”
Fichajes adds, “The possibility being discussed is that Bastoni will have a market price of 52 million euros, which is not at all high for the Premier League greats [United and City].”
Man City boss Pep Guardiola is keen to replace Aymeric Laporte with Bastoni.
Laporte is on his way out of the Etihad. This season, Guardiola has extensively used his centre-back alternatives of Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias and John Stones.
Bastoni would be added to this crop of central defenders.
At Old Trafford, the suspected exits of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof could mean that fresh faces will have to be procured.
Sufficient backup and competition are also needed for Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane. Yesterday, United confirmed in a statement that Martinez is set to miss the rest of the season with an injury.
There are also genuine fears that Varane’s campaign is over although there is hope he can still play a small part.
Lindelof and Maguire are the only two senior centre-backs left in the ranks, highlighting United’s shortness in that area of the pitch.
Bastoni would be a much-welcome addition.
