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Barcelona will have to focus their efforts to sign a central defender elsewhere, after their preferred option in central defence has decided he will not move ot the club. While the price tag always made it a long shot for the Blaugrana, it appears as if Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni will remain in Serie A.
Bastoni was highlighted as the perfect complement for their backline, being a left-footed defender with quality on the ball, and a physical presence. He was cited as one of the options that Barcelona would be keen to sign, if they had the money to spend big on a central defender. Given they appear to be prioritising a centre-forward, this was always a hypothetical.
Bastoni poised to stay at Inter
Image via Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
Before the turn of the year, Bastoni made headlines for liking several social media posts linking him with a move to Barcelona, but he now looks set to stay at Inter. Sport quote Matteo Moretto, who say that Inter have no intention of letting him leave, excepting an offer completely above market value, something Barcelona cannot afford.
In addition, Bastoni feels like one of the faces of the Inter project, and prefers to remain so. His contract runs until 2028, but negotiations are progressing well for a new deal, and both player and club are willing to sign a new long-term deal. Bastoni’s agents are required to explore the market, and if he had taken a different choice, then perhaps a deal would have been possible, but taking into account Bastoni’s decision, Barcelona’s interest was likely used to drive up the price.
Barcelona’s centre-back conundrum
Barcelona are keen to bring in a left-sided defender to fill the void left by Inigo Martinez last summer, but if they do dedicate more of their budget to a centre-forward, their options will be reduced dramatically. In order to sign a differential player for their backline, Barcelona will likely be required to spend big or attack the free agent market, but the latter threatens to leave the club without a clear upgrade, something Director of Football Deco has been keen to avoid.