Barcelona have taken another step towards bringing in central defender Alessandro Bastoni, who is their top target to strengthen their backline. The Italian star is keen on a move to Catalonia after disappointing season on a personal level for club and country.
Bastoni, 26, seems to be the priority for Barcelona at the centre-back spot, who are also targeting a striker this summer. Earlier this week it was reported that the Catalans were in talks with Bastoni over personal terms, having been a.
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Bastoni says yes to Barcelona move
According to Matteo Moretto on TV3, Bastoni has already agreed to a move to Barcelona in the summer. He notes that negotiations on personal terms continue, but that Bastoni is very much open to the idea of joining the Blaugrana this summer, and it is a matter of Barcelona finding an agreement with Inter.
What Barcelona need to strike a deal with Inter
Moretto continues on to say that he believes Inter are open to a deal, which tallies with other reports from Italy. His perspective is that if Bastoni were to request a departure, and Barcelona offered something in the region of €60m plus variables for Bastoni, a deal would be probable.
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The price tag for Bastoni has varied considerably, with sources close to the club saying that Inter are looking for €70-80m for the Italy international, while others claim as little as €40-50m could be enough to tempt the Nerazzurri. Bastoni currently has two years left on his deal, but there is no sign of him signing a contract renewal as things stand.
Barcelona would seek two exits if Bastoni deal goes through
Perhaps the biggest doubt is whether Barcelona will go ahead with the deal before resolving their striker need, which could delay any deal considerably – it also casts further doubt on Barcelona’s ability to stump up the money. It has been reported that if Bastoni were to arrive, Director of Football Deco would look to move Andreas Christensen and Alvaro Cortes on.
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