Liverpool line up €75m centre-back who said he 'can't wait' to get to Anfield

Liverpool might end the season as Premier League winners, but it is conceivable that around five players will be brought in during the summer to help some of the positions in need of attention.

Those areas of improvement are widely understood to be left-back, centre-back, defensive midfield, striker and a winger of some sort.

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Both of Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas have been delivering sub-par performances this season, Ryan Gravenberch needs assistance to carry on playing as Slot's No. 6 without getting overused, the forwards have been carried significantly by Mohamed Salah this season and even before we consider Virgil van Dijk leaving, the team has longed for another centre-back for some time.

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As such a lot of pressure is on the club's recruitment team, despite a successful season on the pitch.

Many players are expected to be scouted over the next few months as Liverpool begin the process of identifying their main targets for the summer and the latest reports claim an Italian defender has been outlined for a move.

Inter Milan's Bastoni on Liverpool's radar

Having joined the San Siro's blue and black striped team in 2018, Alessandro Bastoni has become one of the standout defenders in Europe, known for his ball-playing ability and well-timed tackles.

The 25-year-old has two Scudettos across his career at Inter Milan and he is a standout member of the Italian national team, who won the Euros in 2021.

According to Fichajes, Liverpool have 'set their sights' on him and are 'willing to present an offer of €75 million' for him.

The Reds have not made a defensive signing since Ibrahima Konate joined the team in 2022 and £63m would be a reasonable fee for a player of Bastoni's class and elegance, who would bring solidity to Liverpool's back-line.

Much like with Van Dijk, the Italian is known for his tactical intelligence, dictating the play from deep in the pitch, delivering long-balls or starting attacks by playing out from the back.

The task of securing Bastoni is going to be particularly difficult, as the Nerazzurri are leading the way in Serie A and Champions League football has become a guarantee each season, so the player would have to be convinced of moving to England - he currently has a very stable and comfortable situation at Inter Milan, knowing that he is a key player moving forward.

However, with the knowledge that Van Dijk might leave this season, the prospect of playing for Liverpool and straight away becoming one of the Reds' standout players could be tempting, as he has only ever played his football in Italy and Liverpool are one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Back when Inter Milan visited Anfield in the Champions League in 2022, Bastoni was particularly complementary about Liverpool, claiming 'to play at Anfield it will be an unbelievable feeling... I can't wait to get out there.'

With the club expecting to have a hefty transfer budget to spend this summer, a move for Bastoni would be a really clever bit of business that could done, without it taking up an enormous chunk of their spending - although Inter Milan will take some serious convincing if they are to let go of one of their best.

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There are other players who are also on Richard Hughes' radar - such as Dean Huijsen and Marc Guehi - so this report should merely be taken as an intention to consider Bastoni, but the club is certainly thinking along the right lines.

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