Barcelona contacted the agents of Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni but quickly concluded that signing the player would be financially impossible, leading them to focus on alternatives like Marc Guehi and Nico Schlotterbeck.
Barcelona has prioritized strengthening its defense next summer, aiming for a left-footed centre-back to complement its current options.
The Catalan club was highly impressed by Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni during their Champions League semi-final last season. To explore the possibility of a transfer, Barcelona initiated contact with the Italian international’s agents.
Despite the strong interest from manager Hansi Flick, Barcelona quickly determined that securing Bastoni would be impossible due to financial constraints.
The Inter stalwart is under contract until 2028 and would command a “significant fee” that the cash-strapped Spanish giants cannot afford, as reported by Sport.
With the Bastoni pursuit ending prematurely, Barcelona is shifting focus to alternative defensive targets.
The club is reportedly looking at Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who will soon be available for a pre-contract agreement, and Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck, who would still require a sizable transfer fee.