Relief For Inter Milan As Barcelona Recoil At Italy Star’s Price Tag And Identify Dortmund & Aston Villa Defenders As Alternative

Barcelona have been put off by Inter Milan’s valuation of Alessandro Bastoni, with the Catalan club reacting with little enthusiasm to a price tag that has been corrected upward to €100 million, providing the Nerazzurri with a degree of relief over their prized defender’s future.

According to Estadio Deportivo, via FCInterNews, Barcelona had been encouraged by an earlier report suggesting Inter might accept as little as €50 million for Bastoni.

That figure has since been widely corrected, with multiple sources aligning on a valuation closer to €100 million.

Indeed, a sum considered unthinkable for Barcelona to spend on a single defender this summer.

Especially given their financial constraints.

Barcelona Turn Attention Elsewhere As Inter Set Large Price Tag For Bastoni

As a result, the Spanish club are now actively exploring more affordable alternatives.

Pau Torres of Aston Villa and Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund have both been identified as options.

Schlotterbeck, however, is also attracting strong interest from Real Madrid.

Therefore meaning Barcelona would face significant competition should they pursue that route.

For Inter, the development is a welcome one.

Bastoni remains a player the club want to keep.

And, indeed, a €100 million barrier that deters even a club of Barcelona’s stature goes a long way toward ensuring he stays at San Siro for at least another season.