West Ham and Spurs both want Serie A defender | OneFootball

Rising stars in Milan’s rearguard and why Premier League interest will not go away

Credit to Gazzetta Italia for the original reporting on a developing storyline that is painting new shades across the Milan footballing canvas. In the two great houses of San Siro, centre backs have become the new artists, brushstrokes bold and decisive, yet their futures carry an edge of uncertainty worthy of a transfer-window thriller.

Yann Bisseck at Inter and Strahinja Pavlovic at Milan stand tall, literally and figuratively, as symbols of the new Italian defensive renaissance. Once considered fringe pieces, both now command the pitch with authority and assertiveness. Yet, as Gazzetta Italia highlighted, admiration does not always equal permanence in Serie A, especially when the Premier League casts its glittering shadow.

Bisseck’s transformation and English pull

“Adesso nessuno vuol far più a meno di loro. Yann Bisseck e Strahinja Pavlovic sono finalmente protagonisti (rispettivamente) nell’Inter e nel Milan.” That line encapsulates the shift. Bisseck, once a rotation option edging toward an exit, has risen to a point where Inter’s defensive rhythm pivots around him. His strength, composure and aerial dominance feel almost sculpted from the Bundesliga school he emerged from, then sharpened at Inter.

“Hanno scoperto che il gigante cresciuto nel Colonia può essere il centrale che fa da guida al terzetto dei marcatori.” When you find a defender who guides, leads and scores, you hold tight. Yet the Premier League whispers grow louder. West Ham reportedly placed 25 million euros on the table, Tottenham intrigue is building and the player has a well-documented ambition to test himself in England.

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The pragmatism of Inter executives Marotta and Ausilio shines through. They understand the market and the allure of London lights, hence the catalogue of young talents being monitored. Muharemovic, Tiago Gabriel and Circati all feature in the club’s scouting notebook. “Come si può notare sono tutti giovani emergenti, a conferma che l’Inter sta cercando di rafforzarsi con la linea verde.” A commitment to youth, but perhaps also preparation for a defensive departure.

Pavlovic earning trust and attention

Across the city, Pavlovic’s arc mirrors Bisseck’s. The Serb was once linked with an inevitable exit after a mixed spell, but Max Allegri has breathed belief and clarity into his game. In a back three he has looked dominant, physically assertive, confident in duels and increasingly threatening in the box.

“Non a caso è già andato a segno 2 volte: con la Cremonese e la Roma.” Goals tell part of the tale, but the real marker came in Rome with a standout 7.5 Gazzetta rating. No wonder Galatasaray sniff around, though that deal appears unlikely, and Milan assess replacements and reinforcements.

Joe Gomez has surfaced as a name, with Milan examining future-proof options. Mario Gila remains highly regarded, while Inter-linked talents like Muharemovic, Tiago Gabriel and Circati have all crossed Milanese radar too. There is a chess game unfolding, both clubs scouting similar profiles, both unwilling to blink first. Milan sold Thiaw and reinforced with De Winter, but the appetite remains for more depth and more security.

“A maggior ragione il rendimento di Pavlovic è sotto particolare osservazione da qui a fine anno.” Milan will only consider strong proposals, north of 20 million euros, but football does not rest on good intentions. If Pavlovic continues this ascent, foreign temptation may grow equally fast.

Serie A resilience and looming decisions

Italian football has always found poetry in defence. It is fitting that two rising centre backs are turning narrative lines across the city into a compelling winter and summer storyline. The tension is symmetry itself. Two young defenders thriving, two ambitious clubs preparing for both growth and contingency, two English clubs circling from afar like hawks over the Alps.

This is football’s marketplace at its most intriguing, a reminder that form and future often pull in different directions. Milan and Inter want to build centres of gravity, not stepping stones, yet the modern game demands readiness to pivot.

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From a Premier League perspective, this reads like the slow build before an inevitable bid drops on a fax machine that still smells faintly of January adrenaline. Tottenham and West Ham being linked to Bisseck sparks excitement and anxiety in equal measure. A 6ft 5in Bundesliga-bred defender comfortable leading a back three and scoring in big matches, that profile screams Premier League fit. No surprise that his head may turn toward England. Spurs fans will see shades of Romero in his aggression and leadership, while West Ham supporters will quietly remember the club’s willingness in recent windows to back their managers when the right player emerges.

Then there is Pavlovic, now barnstorming his way into Milan’s starting structure. Two goals, rising match ratings, growing faith from Allegri. If Milan really are valuing him above 20 million euros, that figure feels light in a Premier League market where full backs with half his aerial presence fetch more.

There is an excited undertone in England around Serie A’s new generation of defenders. Fans remember the bargain fees that brought Gabriel to Arsenal and Romero to Spurs before values exploded. The concern, particularly for Milan and Inter fans, is unmistakable. Italy develops warriors, England purchases ambition.

If this winter and summer become a tug-of-war, supporters in London and beyond will be bellowing their excitement, while Milan’s faithful brace for the possibility that their emerging defensive spine might be admired by Europe, yet not retained long enough to anchor true dominance.