Barcelona officials are not overly concerned about Alessandro Bastoni’s egregious error in Italy’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is a strong push to sign the Inter Milan defender in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Bastoni fouled a Bosnian striker in the final moments of the first half, preventing him from going one-on-one with Gianluigi Donnarumma. The resulting red card negatively impacted Italy’s performance and contributed to the Azzurri’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
According to journalist Matteo Moretto, coach Hansi Flick and the Barcelona management still have faith in Bastoni’s abilities. They consider the incident in the Bosnia and Herzegovina match a minor mistake that could happen to any defender and does not diminish the fact that the Italian player is one of the best in his position worldwide.
Barcelona are determined to sign Bastoni, who, according to Marca, has given the Catalan club the green light to pursue him, given his desire to leave Serie A in the upcoming transfer window. Inter Milan are also reportedly open to selling him.
Agreeing on personal terms with the 26-year-old defender should not be an obstacle, as Bastoni is very open to the move to Camp Nou and is prepared to make the necessary financial sacrifices to take this significant step in his career.
The biggest hurdle for Barcelona in signing Bastoni lies in the transfer fee. Inter Milan want to maximize their profit from selling their defender, hoping to use the funds for a major overhaul in the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, Barcelona are suffering from a severe financial crisis, severely limiting their ability to make a substantial offer.
Initially, Inter Milan are asking for €60 million plus add-ons for Bastoni, a figure Barcelona consider beyond their means, especially as they are also looking to sign a world-class striker.
