Barcelona have made their position clear: they will not be dragged into a long, messy summer saga over Alessandro Bastoni.
The La Liga club admire the Inter Milan defender and see him as a serious option for Hansi Flick’s back line, but they refuse to match Inter’s valuation. Reports from Il Resto del Carlino, via FCInter1908, state that Inter have set a €70 million price tag on the 26-year-old, a figure Barcelona consider excessive. Their ceiling is €40 million. Not a cent more.
That gap has already set the tone for a tense standoff.
Inter’s Cornerstone, Barcelona’s Target
Despite Bastoni’s recent difficulties and a noticeable cooling in his relationship with sections of the Serie A fanbase, Cristian Chivu still treats him as the anchor of his defense. Inter are flying domestically and see no need to sell on the cheap. From their side, the message is simple: Bastoni is a leader, a left-footed center-back in his prime, and he will only leave for elite money.
Barcelona read the situation differently. Deco, the club’s sporting chief, has, according to the same reports, warned Inter that their demands are unrealistic in the current market and urged them to soften their stance if they want to strike a deal this summer. The Catalans sense an opportunity with Bastoni weighing up his options, but they refuse to be held to ransom.
So the defender sits at the center of a tug of war: indispensable in Milan, coveted in Barcelona, yet priced in a bracket that threatens to kill the move before it truly starts.
Barca’s Plan B: Lucumi Back on the Radar
Barcelona are not waiting around. While they monitor Bastoni’s situation, they have already dusted off a familiar name: Jhon Lucumi.
The Bologna defender was on their radar last summer after the club parted ways with Inigo Martinez. That move never materialized, but the interest never fully died. According to the report, Barcelona are prepared to revive that pursuit if Inter refuse to budge on Bastoni’s fee.
It’s a clear strategy. Bastoni is the preferred option, the marquee addition. Lucumi is the alternative, a defender they believe can still strengthen Flick’s back line without blowing up their budget.
Inter’s stance is firm. Barcelona’s limit is set. The question now is simple: who blinks first as the window edges closer?
