Alessandro Bastoni shone in Inter‘s 2-0 win over Benfica on Tuesday and although he’s attracted interest from Manchester City and PSG, Richard Hall argues the Italy international should stay and make history with the Nerazzurri.
It has not been easy for Inter. The last-minute goal they conceded against Salernitana was tough to watch. Similar to the Ronaldinho strike against England in 2002 in the World Cup, it left many of the Nerazzurri scratching their heads.
This was also because Benfica was the next port of call, a fixture with a history for Inter, a nostalgic game blocking the way to a season highlight. The game was to be somewhat of a classic, but for this to happen, it needed some core players to stand up and take ownership: Alessandro Bastoni was not the only one to do so, but he, yes, he stood out.
The young defender is making a name for himself on the European scene. At the tender age of 23, he has surpassed the 100th’ league game mark for the blue and black team and is imposing himself as one of the best in the game. PSG and Manchester City are keen to speak to him (more about that later) but at present, he is focused on what is happening in Milan.
Bastoni, who gave an amazing assist for the goal scored by Nicolo Barella against Benfica, brushed off the compliments after the game by saying that it was simply one of those balls that comes off no matter how many times he tries. He was humble at the back of a beautiful display where he exhibited all of the qualities of a modern-day centre-back and in turn, why the top teams in Europe are after his signature.
“I always believed in Inter”, Bastoni told Sky Sport Italia after the match at the Estadio da Luz. There is no argument for his commitment. He feels the team have the right attitude and seems to be enjoying his football, but the better he plays the more he attracts other teams’ focus. He was remarkable against Benfica. QHe was quick effective, defensively and tactically superb and led from the front.
If we look at the foreign press, they would have us believe that the central defender’s future may end up elsewhere, but the noise from him could not be further from the truth. This is a focused, committed man with a strong affinity with the region.
As previously mentioned, the likes of PSG and Manchester City are looking at him yet, although his contract runs out in 2024. Inter have already begun negotiations for a new deal and are unwilling to part with him. Whether they manage to reach an agreement is a different story, although Alessandro is a die-hard fan of the Nerazzurri. Yes, Inter need to get him signed up and it’s likely they will, but his performances of late mean he just may be able to negotiate a more pleasing contract for his future.
Nevertheless, Bastoni is aware that he and his compatriot Nicolò Barella would represent the club’s future and he could go down in history for Inter. Bastoni seems mature beyond his years and wants to create a legacy rather than chase money alone.
It is true Inter have suffered in the league this season: losing 10 times is not ideal, however, if they can make the later stages of the Champions League, that would show just how huge Inter is as a club and a brand and Bastoni can be a long-term part of this.
@RichHall80