Liverpool have been given a significant boost in their pursuit of Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, with reports suggesting the Italian club have reduced their asking price to around £40 million. The 25-year-old Italy international was previously valued at £60 million, but Inter are now keen to offload him to raise funds for their own transfer targets, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Bastoni has attracted interest from several top European clubs, including Barcelona, who have reportedly made contact with his agent, Tullio Tinti. Premier League sides are also monitoring the situation, with the defender believed to be open to a move to England. A transfer within Italy appears unlikely due to his wages, which exceed £80,000 per week.
Liverpool already have Jeremy Jacquet arriving this summer, but they may still seek another centre-back. Ibrahima Konate's contract is expiring, and Joe Gomez's future has been uncertain in recent transfer windows. Bastoni's compatriot Giovanni Leoni is also recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Bastoni has faced a challenging month, receiving boos from fans after admitting to exaggerating a fall to get Juventus player Pierre Kalulu sent off during Inter's Derby d'Italia victory. He apologised for his actions, saying: 'I exaggerated the fall once I felt contact with Kalulu to try and win a foul, but I have to apologise for my reaction afterwards.' He also revealed he received death threats, adding: 'Receiving death threats is unacceptable.'
