Tottenham told perfect partner in crime will cost ‘more than £52m’

Tottenham Hotspur have had their hopes of signing Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni dashed unless they’re willing to smash their club-record transfer fee to reunite him with Antonio Conte. Bastoni has emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young centre-backs, likely to be reflected in Inter’s asking price.

Conte reportedly wants to add a marquee name to his Tottenham back three, with Ben Davies somewhat of a makeshift partner for Eric Dier and Cristian Romero. Spurs were linked with an array of young names in the summer but ultimately opted for a short-term option in Clement Lenglet on loan so they could splash their budget elsewhere.

Bastoni was one of the names linked with a switch to north London after his successful relationship with Conte during Inter’s Serie A-winning season in 2020/21. However, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Spurs will seriously have to push the boat out if they stand any chance of sealing his signature.

In his latest CaughtOffside column, he wrote: “Sorry, Tottenham fans, but I have no news on Alessandro Bastoni right now. He has a long-term contract with Inter, and he won’t leave in January, despite speculation to the contrary. I can’t even give you a clear idea of an asking price as I don’t think Inter would name one, but I’m sure they won’t sell him for the reported €50 to 60m (£43m to £52m) I’ve seen around.”

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Tottenham broke their transfer record in the summer, handing Conte attacking reinforcements in the form of Everton forward Richarlison in a £60m deal. The fee required to lure Bastoni away from the San Siro would likely eclipse that outlay.

Spurs enjoyed a positive start to Conte’s first full season as head coach after an eye-catching transfer window, but their progress has stalled in recent weeks. They are winless in three, losing their last two Premier League games, and will be keen to get back to winning ways at AFC Bournemouth this weekend.

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