Milan Skriniar is reportedly not interested in moving to Barcelona if he leaves Serie A club Inter Milan next summer.
According to a report by Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by Football Transfers, Milan Skriniar will decline the chance to join Barcelona in a Bosman move in the 2023 summer transfer window. The 27-year-old defender is in the final year of his contract with Serie A giants Inter Milan.
Milan Skriniar is one of the best defenders in Serie A, with his stint at Inter Milan seeing him rise in stature exponentially. The Slovakian centre-back joined the Nerazzurri from Sampdoria half a decade ago. And he has been a pivotal figure for Inter Milan since then.
The 27-year-old has turned out 229 times thus far for Inter Milan, chipping in with 11 goals and four assists. But the Serie A giants are in a spot of bother over Skriniar’s long-term future as he has entered the final year of his contract. Such a situation has captured the attention of Barcelona.
Barcelona might enter the market to sign a centre-back for a third successive summer transfer window. And even though they have brought in two central defenders on Bosman moves apart from Jules Kounde, they might need to invest in another player. That is because Gerard Pique is in the twilight of his storied career.
The veteran defender’s performance levels have regressed considerably. And recent reports have claimed that 2022/23 might be Pique’s final season with Barcelona. So Barcelona will have to delve into the market for a centre-back. Skriniar has thus emerged as a viable target for the Blaugrana.
The 27-year-old’s impending status as a free agent makes him an attractive option for Barcelona. But Skriniar does not want to join Barcelona, according to the report. So even if he leaves Serie A giants Inter Milan as a free agent, the Blaugrana will struggle to secure his services.
Instead, Real Madrid and PSG will fancy their chances of signing Skriniar from Inter Milan. As for Barcelona, the Catalan giants need to identify alternatives for the Slovakian defender. Inigo Martinez might be an option, with recent reports claiming Barcelona and the Spaniard have a verbal agreement over a move in 2023.
