Barcelona have reportedly held talks with Alessandro Bastoni’s camp and hope to open negotiations with Inter Milan over a move.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona have held talks with Alessandro Bastoni’s camp over a potential move. The discussions are over salary demands and contracts, as there are no direct talks yet with Inter Milan, which the Catalan outfit are hoping to commence soon, as the Italian international looks like their top defensive target for the summer.
A left-footed centre-back, who could also double down as a left-back, is one of the most unique and in-demand profiles in the market for big clubs. There are some players showing flashes of this of late, with Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie, while Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven is one of the standout examples in that regard.
Ahead of the summer transfer window, some of the big teams are looking at profiles of that sort, with Alessandro Bastoni’s name standing out in that regard. Arsenal and Liverpool were interested a while back, while others like Barcelona have also made their admiration for the 26-year-old Italian international known.
The reigning La Liga champions are also linked with Van de Ven as an option, although they now appear to prioritise a move for Bastoni ahead of the summer. Barcelona have reportedly opened talks with the Italian defender’s camp over salaries and contracts, which could then allow them to open discussions with Inter Milan.
Barcelona are certainly hoping to open talks with Inter Milan over the fee and other details, as the Nerazzurri could be destined to lose their star defender in the summer. There will be questions over Barcelona’s finances about affording a deal for the 26-year-old Italian international, although they are showing plenty of signs that they are determined to sign him this summer.
Will Alessandro Bastoni move to Barcelona?
Bastoni had reportedly been angling for a different challenge in his career, as the Premier League had looked like the ideal destination. However, the prospect of joining a prestigious club like Barcelona will appeal to the 26-year-old Italian international, as they do look like favourites to secure his signature.
Inter Milan will be in a position of power to demand a significant sum in return for his sale, given he still has a contract there until 2028. Barcelona will look to get an agreement in place with the player to strengthen their position when negotiating with Inter, as it will be interesting to see how much the Italians demand for their star defender.