'Foolish': Liverpool summer transfer target hammered by Italian media after World Cup failure
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Liverpool might be having second thoughts about signing Alessandro Bastoni if they read some of the comments from the Italian press this week.The Reds and Barcelona have been heavily linked with the centre-back this year, with one recent update claiming that Arne Slot’s side are ready to spend £89m on signing Bastoni.However, the stopper has now been called ‘foolish’ and heavily criticised for his role in Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. You can only pick ONE player for Liverpool to sign this summer, who is it?
Who should Richard Hughes be targeting above all… Photo Credit: Getty Images/Robin Jones After advancing past Northern Ireland last week, Gli Azzurri clashed with Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup play-off final on March 31.Italy did take the lead in the tie after 15 minutes via former Everton striker Moise Kean.However, Bosnia and Herzegovina equalised in the 79th minute before eventually winning a penalty shootout 4-1.The clash, which Italy seemed favourites for, was turned on its head in the 41st minute when Bastoni was shown a red card.Now, a number of Italian outlets have torn into the Liverpool transfer target, questioning not just his display on Tuesday, but his general form this year.La Sicilia led with the title ‘Direct red and blue storm: Bastoni, what is happening to you?’ and wrote: “The incident casts new shadows on the defender’s moment, exacerbating a true ‘bad year’. A complicated season that has already come under the spotlight due to the controversial simulation during the derby d’Italia between Inter and Juventus, which had cost the expulsion of Juventus player Kalulu.“This new naivety in the Azzurri jersey only serves to fuel and inflame the debate about Bastoni’s real form and, in particular, about his mental resilience when the pressure is at its highest.”Gazzetta said how the red card ‘continued Bastoni’s poor season’ and also mentioned the incident against Juventus.Elsewhere, Il Fatto Quotidiano stated: “Bastoni himself was responsible for the foolish tackle that jeopardised the playoff final defeat against Bosnia.
His expulsion was fatal and effectively condemned Italy to total failure: exclusion from the World Cup for the third consecutive edition.“2026 thus became a dark year for Bastoni. The Inter defender, considered by many to be the best in his position in Italy and recently targeted by Barcelona, exposed all his weaknesses.”It really was a nightmare game for the defender, who played an unwanted role in his country missing out on the 2026 World Cup.However, from a Liverpool point of view, the most concerning thing is the comments in the Italian media suggest this was not a one-off display, and Bastoni’s form has been slipping for a while.Granted, there may be some element of anger in the reporting after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, but it still doesn’t make for great reading.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox