Bastoni dilemma troubles Inter as Barcelona waits to pounce

The newspaper Sport report that Inter Milan will sell Bastoni next summer for a fee far lower than expected if he does not extend his contract.

Alessandro Bastoni must now choose between staying at Inter Milan or leaving the door open to a move to the Catalan club.

His contractual situation could prove decisive in a deal that was already on the table during the last summer transfer window.

Tuttomercatoweb report today, Friday, that Inter Milan have made initial contact with those close to Bastoni to open talks over his renewal.

The defender earns around 6 million euros a year. The talks are still in their early stages, and an agreement looks some way off for now.

Barcelona tried to sign Bastoni last summer but ran into very high financial demands.

Inter went as far as valuing the player at around 80 million euros, a sum the Catalan club deemed excessive. That ultimately scuppered any chance of a deal.

Interest in the player has not waned, though. Sky Sports reported recently that contacts between Barcelona and Bastoni's representatives are still ongoing.

Bastoni does not rule out a spell at the Camp Nou, although his priority is to understand the sporting terms of any potential move and the role he would be handed in Hansi Flick's side.

The turning point could come in the summer of 2027. If Bastoni does not renew before then, he will enter his final year with Inter Milan, a circumstance that would transform the terms of any negotiation.

Inter would then face two options. They could either accept an offer below their current demands, or risk losing the player for free when his contract expires in 2028, pocketing nothing from a sale.

That scenario could work in Barcelona's favour. They would get the chance to negotiate from a stronger position and for a fee expected to be lower than the one quoted last summer.

Inter want to keep one of their key men, but Bastoni's decision will settle his future. Renewing would cement his future in Milan. Walking away from a new deal would hand Barça a fresh chance to sign him on far more favourable terms.

Written byMohamed Mansi

Senior Editor

I am an Egyptian journalist specializing in sports, working for the Kooora website since 2016.

My journalism journey began after graduating from the Faculty of Mass Communication at Cairo University (Journalism Department) in 2011, and I joined the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate in 2017.

At Kooora, I found the football passion that has been with me since childhood, following news of global clubs—especially Real Madrid—as well as Egyptian clubs, particularly Al Ahly SC.

My journey with football began by supporting Al Ahly from a very young age, then following the 1998 FIFA World Cup at the age of 8. I became attached to legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazário, and Rivaldo, along with other skillful players of that era like Davor Šuker, Bebeto, Iván Zamorano, Marcelo Salas, and Ariel Ortega, as well as strikers like Michael Owen, Patrick Kluivert, Gabriel Batistuta, Samuel Eto'o, and David Trezeguet.

Since UEFA Euro 2004, which ended with Greece winning the title, I began closely following the legend Cristiano Ronaldo, whom I consider the greatest in football history due to his remarkable career, especially during his time with Real Madrid, my favorite club worldwide.

My professional experience is centered on writing news, providing analysis, covering both international and local events, as well as editorial reviewing (desk work).

During my time at Kooora, I have published several series, including “Great but…”, “Legitimate Betrayal”, and “Mercato AI”, in addition to a variety of reports.

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