Barcelona like Alessandro Bastoni. They do not like his price.
The La Liga club have made it clear they will not be dragged into a long, messy summer saga with Inter Milan over the Italy international, despite a concrete interest in bringing him to Camp Nou.
Reports from Il Resto del Carlino, relayed by FCInter1908, claim Inter have set a hefty €70 million valuation on the 26-year-old defender. For a player enduring a difficult spell and facing criticism from sections of Serie A supporters, it is a statement fee.
Barcelona’s response has been blunt: €40 million, and not much more.
Inter Stand Firm, Barcelona Push Back
Inside Inter, there is no doubt about Bastoni’s status. Cristian Chivu still sees him as the anchor of his back line, a defender to build around rather than cash in on. That belief underpins the €70m price tag and sends a clear message to suitors across Europe.
Barcelona, though, are operating under tighter financial realities and a different reading of the market. Deco, now leading the sporting project, has reportedly urged Inter to soften their stance and open the door to a deal at a lower figure. The Catalans want Bastoni, but only on their terms.
For the player, the timing is delicate. Once a darling of the fanbase, he now finds himself under scrutiny from Serie A crowds. The suggestion is that he is weighing up his options, aware that a move to Barcelona would offer a fresh stage and a different kind of pressure.
Lucumi Waiting in the Wings
Barcelona are not betting everything on Inter blinking first.
While they monitor Bastoni’s situation, club officials have already dusted off a Plan B. If Inter refuse to climb down from €70m, the focus will swing back to Jhon Lucumi of Bologna.
Hansi Flick’s side tried to bring the Colombian to Camp Nou last summer after parting ways with Inigo Martinez. That move never materialised, but the admiration never really faded. According to the same report, Barcelona are prepared to revive their pursuit and table a new offer if the Bastoni talks hit a wall.
So the message from Barcelona is simple: they want a new defensive pillar, they respect Bastoni’s quality, but they will not pay Inter’s premium. Either the Italian’s price drops, or the door opens again for Lucumi.
Inter now know the numbers. The next move is theirs.
