Chelsea and Manchester City are keeping tabs on Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni’s contract situation, according to reports in Italy.

The Italian, who has been capped 17 times by his country, is closing in on the final twelve months of his current deal with the Nerazzurri.

It is believed that Bastoni is demanding that his salary be doubled to €5.5m (£4.8m) a year but Inter are only prepared to offer him around €4m (£3.5m).

While more talks with chief executive Beppe Marotta are expected to take place in the coming weeks, the significant disparity between the two parties has prompted speculation about a potential summer transfer.

Chelsea are not exactly short of defenders. Bastoni is left-footed so he would be competing with Benoit Badiashile and, potentially, Levi Colwill, who will return from his loan spell at Brighton in July. For that reason, you can’t see the Blues prioritising a move for another centre-back.