Mourinho targets Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni

Jose Mourinho has named Alessandro Bastoni as his preferred centre‑back target for Real Madrid. Miguel Serrano revealed the choice in a recent update. Mourinho’s approach has been described as brutal toward the current Real Madrid squad. Mourinho has already added Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid’s defence and says a second elite centre‑back is still required. He has shown no hesitation in signing new players in positions where he doubts the existing options. The 27‑year‑old Inter Milan defender has been linked with a move away from Serie A, initially attracting Barcelona before Hansi Flick’s side lost interest, leaving Real Madrid as the leading suitor. The Italian star has been linked with a departure from Milan for several months now. Bastoni was initially touted as a top target for Barcelona. Bastoni made 28 league starts last season, kept eight clean sheets and averaged close to ten defensive actions and one key pass per game. The defender is 27 years old. Inter Milan president Giuseppe Marotta publicly stated the club is not for sale and that fans can be relaxed about Bastoni’s situation, signalling a difficult negotiation. Marotta emphasized that Bastoni never asked to leave and is happy at the club. Inter Milan will not make his exit easy. Nico Schlotterbeck remains another option for Real Madrid, but Mourinho has singled out Bastoni as his chosen candidate. Mourinho values Bastoni’s combination of talent and experience heavily. Photos accompanying the report were taken by Stu Forster and Marco Luzzani. The images were provided by Getty Images.