Defender Alessandro Bastoni doesn’t hide that he wants to stay at Inter Milan for life.
The 25-year-old spoke to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, via FCInterNews. He talked about a desire to “pay back the fans’ love.”
Bastoni is now coming to the end of his fifth season as an Inter player.
Despite having joined the Nerazzurri as a teenager, Bastoni has been a key pillar of the team’s starting eleven for his entire time at the club.
Bastoni has grown a lot in each season he’s been at Inter.
First playing under Antonio Conte and now under Simone Inzaghi, the Italian international has become a fixture in the left-sided role in Inter’s back three.
Bastoni’s contribution is both defensive and in attack.
The 25-year-old’s passing range has meant that he has long had an important role in Inter’s buildup phase.
But Bastoni offers far more than that, particularly in Inzaghi’s system.
Bastoni has the license to stride forward and join the attack. The former Atalanta and Parma defender can pick up positions virtually as a winger or attacking midfielder.
Bastoni’s eye for a pass or a cross mean that he is a real threat when he gets into this positions.
Alessandro Bastoni: “I Want To Stay At Inter Milan For Life”
Bastoni has attracted a fair bit of transfer interest. That is hardly a surprise.
The likes of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Bayern Munich among others have all shown interest in the Italian international.
But to date, Bastoni has always shown loyalty to the Nerazzurri.
Asked if he could say he wants to stay at Inter Milan for the rest of his career, Bastoni replied “Personally, I feel that way, yeah.”
“Especially after the title celebrations, and the way that the fans all showed us love.”
“Then, clearly when things are going well it’s easy for everyone to be happy,” Bastoni noted.
“But unfortunately, I’ve also gone through disappointments. Like losing out on the Scudetto, or in the Champions League final,” added the 25-year-old.
“But even then, we felt the support from our fans,” Bastoni added.
“And I feel that I can say I want to pay back all that love.”