Barcelona have not closed the file on Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter defender slipped through their fingers last summer, but the Catalans are back on his trail. This time, though, the deal looks anything but simple, with the player demanding clear guarantees before he agrees to pull on the Barca shirt.
According to a report from the "Sky Sport" network, Bastoni remains firmly on Barcelona's radar. The club have kept their contacts with the player's entourage warm in recent weeks, laying the groundwork for a fresh attempt in the upcoming winter window.
A previous agreement that was not completed
Barcelona made serious headway in their talks with the Italian defender last summer, striking a personal agreement over a contract running until June 2031. The deal never got over the line, though, after coach Hansi Flick decided against pushing it through at the time.
Contacts between the Catalan club's officials and Bastoni's agent never dried up. The message has stayed consistent throughout: Barcelona would be the player's preferred destination should he choose to leave Inter.
The 27-year-old, however, is not ready to settle for those previous terms. He has signalled his willingness to reopen talks, but only if he lands sporting guarantees over his role in the side.
Chief among his demands is a face-to-face meeting with Hansi Flick, so he can hear exactly where he fits into the coach's plans.
Fresh meetings between the Catalan club's representatives and the player's camp are expected in the coming period, an effort to narrow the gap and turn interest into genuine negotiations.
Inter's condition
Inter Milan are not making it easy. According to the report, the Italians want around 70 million euros to let their defender go, a figure that could pile extra pressure on Barcelona given their financial situation.
Inter did table an opening offer to renew Bastoni's contract with the player's agents, the report added, but it failed to win them over. That leaves the exit door ajar, particularly with his current deal running only until June 2028.