Tottenham Hotspur are still trying to sign Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni despite being told that he is not for sale, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Top target

The 23-year-old has emerged as one of Antonio Conte’s top targets as a left-sided centre-back this summer after it was revealed by Sky Sports that Spurs’ pursuit had progressed, with talks ongoing between the two clubs.

However, Lilywhites chief Fabio Paratici suffered a serious blow in his negotiations when Bastoni’s agent Tullio Tinti revealed that his player “will certainly remain at Inter” after he met with the Serie A club’s directors.

The Latest: Sheth’s claim

Nonetheless, Sheth doesn’t believe that Tottenham’s chances of signing Bastoni are completely dead.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, he claimed: "The Bastoni one is a very interesting one because Tottenham are still pushing to sign Bastoni from Inter Milan.

"It should be said, Inter Milan do not want to lose him, and the agent has come out and said he’s happy at Inter Milan, he’s not going anywhere, but is that a screen where Inter Milan protect their investments so if they do sell, they get the maximum amount of money?"

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The Verdict: He'd be a good fit

Described by Italian football expert Conor Clancy as a ‘phenomenal’ defender, Bastoni’s underlying statistics clearly illustrate why Tottenham are so keen on securing his signature.

When compared with positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year, the 23-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile for progressive passes received and the 97th percentile for shot-creating actions (via FBRef).

Considering Conte’s preferred three-at-the-back formation, these figures suggest that Bastoni would slot into Spurs’ back-line with ease, playing on the left-hand side of the defence.

Whilst the transfer currently seems unlikely, Inter’s financial issues could force them into selling some of their most prized assets, so some hope remains in Paratici’s pursuit of the defender.

In other news: This ‘massive’ Tottenham transfer news has prompted plenty of media reaction