Updated: 17 May 2026 17:22 BST |
4 min read
Alessandro Bastoni is prepared to stay at Inter Milan this summer in a fresh blow to Barcelona’s transfer plans, according to reports in Italy.
The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world in an Inter side which continues to dominate Italian football.
Bastoni has helped the Nerazzurri clinch a Serie A and Coppa Italia double this season, extending his trophy haul with the club to nine major honours.
The Italy defender’s impressive performances have led to subsequent interest from Spanish giants Barcelona, according to The Athletic.
Hansi Flick’s side want to sign a left-footed centre-back this summer in order to allow Pau Cubarsi to play in his favoured right-sided position, with Bastoni being the club’s preferred choice, The Athletic understands.
However, the same publication believes Barcelona may struggle to meet the former Atalanta star’s asking price, which has been loosely set at €80million (£69.2m) by other outlets.
And now Barcelona have been told Bastoni could remain at the San Siro beyond the end of the season, according to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport.
The same outlet claims Bastoni remains happy at Inter following their Serie A and Coppa Italia triumphs, while the defender is also hopeful he will not be jeered by opposition fans next season.
Bastoni has been targeted across Italy after he was sent off in his country’s World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in April – a result which meant the Azzurri failed to qualify for FIFA’s flagship tournament for the third time in a row.
Should Bastoni opt to stay at Inter in the summer, it would represent a further blow to Barcelona’s transfer strategy, with Spanish publication SPORT claiming they will miss out on signing Joao Pedro if incoming Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso wants to keep him.
SPORT also understands Barcelona’s interest in Julian Alvarez has cooled after Atletico Madrid slapped a €150m (£130m) valuation on the striker.
Bastoni has enjoyed trophy-laden spell at Inter Milan
Bastoni joined Inter from Atalanta for €31m (£27m) in August 2017, in a deal which saw him spend the 2017-18 campaign on loan with the Bergamo-based side.
After spending the next season on loan with Parma, Bastoni officially linked up with Inter ahead of the 2019-20 campaign and went on to make 33 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals.
Bastoni has since taken his appearance tally to 298 for Inter, helping the club win three league titles, three Italian cups and reach the Champions League finals in 2023 and 2025.
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