Liverpool willing to pay £88 million to sign defensive “leader” to replace Konaté

Inter Milan's Petar Sucic, Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni. (REUTERS/Claudia Greco)

Liverpool’s slump this season shows no signs of letting up.

After lifting the Premier League title last year in Arne Slot’s first season, the Reds began 2025/26 strongly — but recent results have been alarming.

The Merseyside club have lost seven of their last 10 matches across all competitions, most recently suffering a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, leaving them 8th in the Premier League table.

Defensive frailties have been at the heart of their struggles, with Ibrahima Konaté far below his usual world-class standards.

Now, Liverpool are reportedly preparing a major move to reinforce the backline.

According to Il Giorno, per FC Inter News, Liverpool have identified Alessandro Bastoni as a potential replacement for Konaté, who is expected to leave Anfield on a free transfer next summer.

The Italy international, 26, is seen as a natural defensive leader, capable of organizing the backline alongside Virgil van Dijk. World Cup winner Marco Materazzi has described Bastoni as a “leader,” highlighting his influence on the pitch.

Liverpool are reportedly ready to offer around £88 million for the Inter Milan centre-back, who is contracted at the San Siro until 2028.

Bastoni joined Inter from Atalanta for roughly €30 million eight years ago and has since developed into one of the most highly regarded central defenders in world football.

While pairing him with Van Dijk would strengthen Liverpool’s defence, whether this signing alone can solve all the Reds’ issues — particularly after their summer spending — remains to be seen.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.