Barcelona is reportedly keen on acquiring Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, while also considering other potential options, according to sources within the club who spoke to ESPN.
In December, ESPN highlighted that strengthening the centre-back position is a key priority for Barça this summer, especially after the club was unable to find a replacement for Iñigo Martínez last year.
Bastoni, at 26 years old, is attractively positioned on sporting director Deco’s radar. He meets the criteria that Barcelona is looking for: a left-footed centre-back with considerable top-level experience who is still at a stage in his career where he can develop further.
Additionally, targets such as Aston Villa‘s Pau Torres and Borussia Dortmund‘s Nico Schlotterbeck have also been mentioned in reports. Other links include Luka Vuskovic (currently on loan at Hamburg from Tottenham Hotspur), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham), and Nathan Aké from Manchester City.
One source indicated to ESPN that there are additional names under consideration that have not yet been reported but stressed that Bastoni is a frontrunner for the position.
However, uncertainty surrounds this pursuit due to the financial implications of acquiring the Italian international, who has a contract with Inter running until 2027 and would require a significant investment.
The Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport stated on Tuesday that the Serie A leaders would demand over €50 million ($58 million) for his transfer.
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Barcelona is also in the market for a striker this summer, which may necessitate careful allocation of their budget as they seek to bolster their squad.
If they decide to invest heavily in a forward, they might pursue a more affordable alternative to Bastoni.
The current defensive lineup for Barça includes Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Ronald Araújo, Gerard Martín, and Andreas Christensen.
Christensen is currently injured and will be out of contract this summer, although Deco has indicated the club is open to extending his contract.