Barcelona are poised to go hunting for a new center back in the summer transfer window and reports claim they’ve already started talks with standout Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.
Most of the attention has been place on Barcelona’s desire to sign a new world class forward, but the Catalans are equally interested in acquiring a new center back to partner Pau Cubarsí for years to come, and Bastoni’s name sits atop the shortlist of alternatives.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona have already approached Bastoni’s camp to start fleshing out potential contract terms to secure the signature of the 26-year-old Italian.
Barcelona’s strategy would be to reach an agreement with the player first before opening negotiations on a transfer fee with Inter Milan.
How Realistic is Bastoni’s Transfer for Barcelona?
Bastoni’s transfer on paper is a no-brainer for Barcelona, but striking a deal with Inter will likely prove to be a much more difficult endeavor.
Barcelona’s financial situation has seen them complete just four permanent transfers during the four windows of the Hansi Flick era, and although the club are confident they’ll comply with La Liga’s 1:1 rule (€1 earned for every €1 spent) by the summer, there’s still no guarantees they’ll be able to operate without constraints once the transfer window opens.
Inter Milan, who have dealt with Financial Fair Play problems, are under no pressure to sell Bastoni given his contract doesn’t expire until 2028. The Nerazzurri would be open to negotiate his exit, per MARCA, but their asking price could be significant, especially for Barça, who are also looking to sign an elite striker.
Newly re-elected Barça president Joan Laporta has routinely stated that potential transfer targets should make their wishes to join Barça known. This strategy, in theory, pressures their current club to reach an agreement for the move to materialize.
Bastoni has publicly praised players such as Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal and him showing his willingness to join them in Catalonia could be key to any potential operation.
Why Barcelona Want Bastoni
Barcelona see in Bastoni the perfect solution to finally fill the gaping void Iñigo Martínez created when he abruptly left for the Saudi Pro League ahead of the 2025–26 season.
The left-footed Italian would slot in perfectly with Cubarsí to his right in the heart of Barcelona’s backline. Despite being only 26, Bastoni is an experienced defender with almost 300 games for Inter and over 40 for Italy and he could help steer the young Spaniard’s development as he continues his own.
He has all the tools of a trademark Italian defender but is equally great as a distributor, something that’s almost essential in order to succeed at Barcelona. Simply put, he’s one of the best center backs in the world currently.
It’s easy to understand why Bastoni sits atop Barcelona’s center back shortlist, but only time will tell if they’re able to pull off their dream signing or if they’ll have to pivot to other alternatives.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona ‘Open Talks’ With Dream Defensive Reinforcement.
