Liverpool learn price of Italian January transfer ‘plot’ as Chelsea make ‘initial enquiry’ for Semenyo | OneFootball

Liverpool are looking to sign Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni in the January transfer window, according to reports.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed on Monday that the Reds could look to sign as many as two players in the January transfer window despite their huge summer outlay.

Liverpool spent over £400m on new players over the summer but the Reds are still in need of reinforcements after a poor first half of the season.

The Reds missed out on signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi in the summer when the Eagles pulled out of a deal as the England international was having his medical.

Romano reckons Guehi’s future will now be sorted in the summer, rather than January, and Liverpool are looking at other potential targets for the winter.

Football Insider claims that Liverpool are ‘plotting a move to sign’ for Inter Milan centre-back Bastoni with Arne Slot ‘concerned about his current options’.

The Reds are managing with Ibrahima Konate – who has been linked with a free transfer in the summer – and an out-of-form Virgil van Dijk, while their depth in that position is not great.

The report adds that Liverpool ‘would have to pay over £80million to land a mid-season deal, leading to uncertainty’ over a transfer for Bastoni in January.

But former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown – who is still well-connected in the Premier League – reckons Bastoni would be a “great asset” to any club.

Brown told Football Insider: “Bastoni is a player I’ve always been a big admirer of.

“He’s a fantastic defender and has been brilliant for Inter Milan for a long period of time now, so it’s no surprise these types of clubs are looking at him.

“Liverpool have been keeping a close eye on him because they see him as somebody who would be an improvement on what they’ve got at the moment.

“He would be a great asset to any club, and one I would certainly recommend they go for.

“They’re not sure what’s happening with Konate, that’s still very much up in the air, and Van Dijk hasn’t looked like his usual dominant self this season.

“So it’s the type of deal Liverpool have to be considering, because they have to be prepared for any possibility if they might need to bring players in.”

Liverpool could also look to improve their forward line, especially with Alexander Isak breaking his leg and Mohamed Salah’s future in the air, and Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is still under consideration.

There is huge competition for Semenyo with transfer journalist Ben Jacobs confirming on Tuesday that Chelsea have now made an ‘initial enquiry’ for the Ghana international.