Barcelona Tables Initial Offer for Alessandro Bastoni as Inter Negotiations Begin

Barcelona and Inter Milan are reportedly engaged in discussions regarding the potential transfer of defender Alessandro Bastoni. The Italian international is understood to be keen on a move to Catalonia this summer, making him a primary target for Barcelona's defensive reinforcement efforts, second only to their priority of signing a new number nine striker.

Bastoni has already given his approval for a move to Barcelona, leading to the initiation of talks for a potential deal. Inter had previously planned to extend his contract, which is currently set to expire in 2028, but reportedly reversed this decision earlier in the year following a dip in his form.

Barcelona Communicates First Offer for Bastoni

According to reports from Sport Mediaset (via Sport), Barcelona has put forward an initial offer of €45 million for Bastoni. This proposed fee reportedly takes into account his expected annual salary, which is projected to exceed €5 million.

Inter's Demands Significantly Higher

There have been varying reports concerning the fee Inter would deem acceptable for their 26-year-old star defender. Initially, an €80 million price tag was mentioned. However, with Bastoni’s recent form, the general consensus now points towards figures around €60 million, possibly including performance-based variables to sweeten the deal.

Bastoni's Transfer within Barcelona’s Market Strategy

The pursuit of Bastoni has commenced somewhat sooner than anticipated. Barcelona's main transfer market priority has been widely reported as securing a number nine striker, a deal expected to be their most expensive acquisition. Consequently, any move for a central defender was initially considered contingent on this primary objective.

Should Barcelona successfully finalize a deal for Bastoni, it would likely facilitate the departure of Andreas Christensen this summer. The Danish defender's contract is nearing its end, and he has yet to accept the club’s new offer, which includes a significant wage reduction.