Barcelona like Bastoni, and he is their preferred centre-back option for the summer. But Inter want 70 million for him.
As far as Barcelona is concerned, the only thing they can do is meet the price or look for someone cheaper.
The problem
According to Mundo Deportivo, Inter have opened negotiations but the initial demands are in the region of 70 million. The price tag appears to be too expensive for Barcelona due to their financial limitations.
This is despite the fact that the defender is very keen on the move and already have personal terms agreed.
The current Barcelona bid stands between 40-45 million plus add-ons. There is a 25-30 million difference between the clubs and Inter don't seem to be wavering.
Bastoni also isn't looking to force the issue at his current club, meaning that Inter have very little incentive to reduce their valuation of the defender.
The numbers at a glance
- Inter asking price: €70m-80m
- Barcelona offer: €40m-45m + add-ons
- Gap between clubs: ~€25m-30m
- Bastoni's contract expiry: June 2028
Who Barcelona are eyeing up instead
Barcelona will shift their attention to cheaper options in the market, should a deal with Inter fall through. The candidates on their shortlist so far are:
- Jon Martin (Real Sociedad): Aged 20 and has a €50m release clause in his contract. Deco reportedly met with his agent, but nothing is finalized yet.
- Jhon Lucum (Bologna): Can be obtained for around €25m, significantly cheaper than Bastoni.
Both players would suit Flick's system, and more importantly, they would cost significantly less. Given that Barcelona need a fee over €100m to sign Julian Alvarez this summer, they lack the funds to acquire both targets at their listed price tags.
The bottom line
Unless Inter lower their asking price significantly, Barcelona are likely to shift to more cost-effective alternatives.
While a deal for Bastoni could still be viable with further negotiations and sales to generate funds, Barcelona have also identified other promising candidates. Barcelona are simply not willing to overspend.
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