Deco, Barcelona’s sporting director, holds crucial talks with €80m-rated Inter Milan defender over potential blockbuster transfer.
With Hansi Flick’s high-pressing system exposing vulnerabilities—six different centre-back pairings already this season—the Catalan giants prioritise a left-footed anchor to pair with Pau Cubarsí long-term, especially after Iñigo Martínez’s Saudi exit left a tactical void.
Inter’s defensive rock, contracted until 2028 with a release clause north of €80m, emerges as the perfect profile: aerial dominance, progressive passing, and Serie A-honed aggression that translates seamlessly to La Liga intensity.
Deco’s proactive diplomacy underscores Barça’s financial maneuvering, potentially leveraging instalments, player swaps or La Liga’s economic levers to navigate fair play constraints while outpacing rivals like Manchester United circling the same target.
That colossus is Alessandro Bastoni, the 26-year-old Italian international whose 2025 campaign—18 appearances, near-flawless passing accuracy, and pivotal role in Inter’s Scudetto charge—has reignited Barcelona’s summer pursuit, as reported by Matteo Moretto on Radio MARCA.
Deco, who flagged him as priority No. 1 amid stalled Pau Torres talks, views Bastoni’s elite reading of the game and ball-carrying poise as transformative for Flick’s build-up play, eclipsing pricier alternatives like Nico Schlotterbeck.
Inter president Steven Zhang remains resolute on the €80m tag, but Barcelona’s agent summit hints at structured negotiations, possibly including add-ons tied to Champions League progress or domestic silverware.
The timing aligns with Barcelona’s La Liga lead, where defensive solidity fuels title dreams, yet injuries to Ronald Araujo and squad rotation demand reinforcements.
Bastoni’s enthusiasm for a Camp Nou switch—rooted in admiration for Barça’s youth project—could tip the scales, though Inter’s European ambitions complicate matters.
As Deco balances books via potential Lewandowski or Christensen exits, landing this Serie A heavyweight would cement Barcelona’s backline for the Flick era, blending youth verve with proven steel.
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