Inter Defender Alessandro Bastoni To Play In Middle Of Back 3 Permanently If Stefan De Vrij Leaves, Italian Media Report | OneFootball

Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni could be handed the central role in the Nerazzurri’s backline should Stefan de Vrij leave the club.

This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, who report that the 22-year-old is seen as a long-term solution in the centre of the back three by the club.

Bastoni filled in centrally against Venezia, with both de Vrij and Andrea Ranocchia missing the match through injury.

The Italian was out of his familiar position on the left of the back three, but he gave a good account of himself and helped the team keep a clean sheet.

Bastoni is expected to reprise this role against Spezia this evening according to the newspaper, and this could be a preview of things to come.

De Vrij’s long-term future at the Nerazzurri is uncertain, with the Dutchman turning thirty in February and his contract set to expire at the end of June 2023.

The club could see de Vrij as a player to be sacrificed for financial reasons, as the window for monetizing his departure could be quickly closing given his age and contract.

In addition to de Vrij’s situation, the contracts of Aleksandar Kolarov, Andrea Ranocchia, and Danilo D’Ambrosio all run out at the end of June 2022 and it remains to be seen if the club is interested in renewing with any of the trio past next summer.

The Nerazzurri are likely to reinforce the defense with signings in the coming transfer windows, with Borussia Monchengladbach’s Matthias Ginter and Lazio’s Luiz Felipe two targets who are out of contract next summer.

Chelsea’s Malang Sarr is another player being monitored by the Nerazzurri to shore up the backline.

However, a significant solution could be much closer to home, according to Tuttsport, with the club ready to trust Bastoni to play centrally in addition to on the left side of the defense.