(Credit: Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Tue 10 March 2026 9:02, UK

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Liverpool will need to pay “huge money” in order to tempt Inter Milan into selling centre-back Alessandro Bastoni this summer, sources have told Football Insider.

The 26-year-old is set to be chased by several of Europe’s top clubs if he becomes available in the market ahead of next season, but bids in excess of £80million will be required just to bring Inter to the negotiating table.

Arne Slot’s side have held a long-term interest in Bastoni, but sources say that their ability to sign him this summer depends on whether he is keen to explore a new challenge in his career.

The defender is a clear target for Liverpool, but it will take a drastic change in his situation for a deal to be possible this time around, since Inter are desperate not to lose their star man.

Micky van de Ven deal more likely for Liverpool

Football Insider revealed last weekend that Liverpool are leading the race to sign Micky van de Ven from Tottenham, amid their ongoing struggles in the lower reaches of the Premier League.

Barcelona are also extremely keen on the Dutchman, but are likely to be limited by their consistent financial constraints, leaving the Merseysiders as the favourites at the moment.

Van de Ven is expected to seek a move away from Tottenham in the summer, and as a result, he is a more likely candidate to join Liverpool than Bastoni is at the moment.

The Spurs star would also cost the Anfield outfit a pretty penny in order to secure his signature, but the likelihood of him moving elsewhere ahead of next season is far greater than Bastoni at the moment.

Liverpool are set to lose Ibrahima Konate as a free agent, and they are also keen to find a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk, making a top-level centre-back a clear priority for them in the upcoming window.

Will Jarell Quansah be a target for the Reds?

Football Insider also revealed on Sunday that Liverpool have no plans to activate their buy-back clause for Jarell Quansah at the moment.

The 23-year-old left Anfield to join Bayer Leverkusen for £35m last summer, with the selling side also inserting a clause giving them the chance to bring him back to his boyhood club.

That clause is available to be triggered later in the summer, but it is clear that the Reds have no plans to target a move for Quansah at the moment, despite how simple the deal would be.

The youngster has impressed during his debut campaign in the Bundesliga, but not enough as yet for Liverpool to decide that their decision to move him on was a mistake.