Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Alessandro Bastoni's contract situation ahead of potentially attempting to lure the Inter Milan defender to Hotspur Way, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Spurs have already made six signings since the transfer window opened for business but, with the deadline not being until September 1, there is still time for further reinforcements to come through the door.

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What's the latest news involving Bastoni?

Tottenham have potentially been handed a boost in their pursuit of Bastoni as, according to Italian media outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter have decided to prioritise holding onto fellow central defender Milan Skriniar instead.

That could open the door for Spurs to complete a deal just a matter of weeks after it was revealed that the Serie A giants had no intentions of offloading the 23-year-old due to him being a key member of their backline.

Tottenham went into the transfer window with head coach Antonio Conte prioritising the addition of a left-sided centre-back and Bastoni was understood to be on a four-man shortlist of targets.

But, with it being difficult to prise the Italian away from the San Siro ahead of pre-season, the north Londoners opted to sign Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan from Barcelona.

Bastoni has entered the final two years of his £122,000-per-week contract with Inter, meaning his long-term future is up in the air.

What has Dharmesh Sheth said about Bastoni?

Sheth believes Spurs may still look to pounce for Bastoni further down the line despite welcoming Lenglet to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Sky Sports reporter feels the north Londoners will keep a close eye on the 15-cap Italy international's contract situation at the San Siro.

Sheth told GIVEMESPORT: "Because Lenglet is a loan signing, maybe Tottenham have got a longer-term target in mind to go for next summer.

"Earlier on in the window, they were very, very interested in the Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, but Inter simply would not sell him. They consider him as one of their crown jewels, I think.

"But he's only got two years left on his contract, so I think Tottenham will be keeping an eye on that next summer and, if he doesn't sign a new deal, they will see if there's a potential deal to be done."

Why is Bastoni a long-term target for Conte?

Bastoni is someone Conte knows well, having won the Serie A title together during the now-Tottenham chief's spell at the Inter helm.

Conte selected his fellow countryman - who is valued at £54million by Transfermarkt - on 74 occasions, underlining that he is highly-rated.

Not only would Bastoni bolster Spurs defensively, but he could also prove to be an attacking threat as statistics show, among central defenders in the continent's big five leagues and European competitions last season, he featured in the 99th, 97th and 90th percentiles for passes into the penalty area, shot-creating actions and assists respectively.