Barcelona ready to open talks with Serie A giants for priority target; €60m price tag still a hurdle

Barcelona ready to open talks with Serie A giants for priority target; €60m price tag still a hurdle

Barcelona are now preparing to take a decisive step in their summer planning, with fresh developments from SPORT pointing towards formal negotiations for Alessandro Bastoni.

The Inter Milan defender has long been on Barcelona’s radar, and the club is now ready to turn that interest into concrete talks.

After playing a key role in Inter’s recent Serie A title triumph, the Italian has only strengthened his reputation, making him one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe.

The big obstacle

As such, the biggest obstacle remains the financial side of the deal, as Inter are expected to demand at least €60 million, a figure Barcelona consider too high.

The Catalan side are exploring ways to bring that valuation down, with the possibility of including players in a swap deal being discussed internally.

Names such as Hector Fort have been floated around, but the full-back, currently on loan at Elche, wants to give his Barcelona career another push.

Despite their strong interest, Barcelona are not entirely satisfied with how the situation has developed.

There is a feeling within the club that Bastoni and his representatives have not done enough to facilitate the move.