Arsenal, Liverpool in transfer battle with Barcelona for 'untouchable' €100m defender

Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona are all reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The Inter star has developed a reputation as one of the most stylish central defenders in Europe, combining his defensive toughness with his technical ability on the ball.

The 26-year-old has enjoyed significant success during his time with Inter, winning two Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias and three Italian Super Cups.

Bastoni also played key roles in Inter's two runs to the Champions League final in 2022-23 and 2024-25. 

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Arsenal, Liverpool monitoring Bastoni 

Having been an Inter player since 2017, Bastoni could receive an offer for a fresh challenge in the upcoming summer transfer window.

That is because he is attracting transfer interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs, including two Premier League giants.

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal and Liverpool are keeping a close eye on the Italy international ahead of the summer market.

Arsenal believe he could slip seamlessly into Mikel Arteta's tactical system, while Liverpool view Bastoni as a potential long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk.

However, Arsenal and Liverpool face competition from Catalan giants Barcelona, who are still looking to replace Inigo Martinez following his move to Saudi Arabia last summer. 

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How much will Inter demand for Bastoni?

From Inter's perspective, they view Bastoni as an 'untouchable' member of Christian Chivu's squad. 

The Serie A leaders are keen to extend the defender's contract, which is currently set to run until the summer of 2030.

That said, there is a belief that Inter will consider sanctioning Bastoni's departure if they receive offers in the region of €100m (£87m).