Alessandro Bastoni linked with Chelsea amid Alonso defensive rethink
Chelsea are set to fight Barcelona for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, according to a fresh report, though there’s no sign yet of an actual bid.
Chelsea and Barcelona named as rivals for Bastoni
Transfermarkt reported on 26 September that Chelsea are set to fight Barcelona for Alessandro Bastoni, with the Inter Milan centre-back and Italy international identified as a target for Xabi Alonso. The report frames this as interest from both clubs rather than confirmation of any bid, agreement or medical, so this is one to file under early-stage transfer chatter rather than done deal.
Transfermarkt’s update doesn’t go beyond that top-line claim. There’s no mention of a fee being discussed, contract terms being offered, or talks taking place between the clubs, so we’d caution against reading more into this than what’s actually there.
Alonso’s defensive headache
The Transfermarkt report says Alonso is keen to resolve Chelsea’s defensive problems and may move for Bastoni as a result. That tracks with everything we’ve seen from Chelsea this season, and it’s not the only defender the club have been linked with recently – Chelsea have also been credited with monitoring another centre-back as Alonso looks to strengthen that area of the squad.
Beyond naming Alonso as the man driving interest, the primary report doesn’t detail exactly what system Chelsea are trying to fix or why Bastoni specifically is seen as the solution. We’ll leave the tactical theorising for another day once more concrete information emerges.
Bastoni’s situation at Inter
Bastoni remains under contract at Inter Milan until 30 June 2028, and Transfermarkt lists his market value at €65 million. He’s established himself as a regular starter in Serie A and for the Italy national team, which is why his name keeps surfacing whenever Europe’s bigger clubs assess left-sided centre-back options.
What a deal would actually cost
It’s worth being precise here. Transfermarkt’s own market value for Bastoni sits at €65 million, and that figure is not the same thing as Inter’s asking price. Other outlets have floated higher numbers in recent weeks, but those figures don’t come from the same primary report and shouldn’t be treated as confirmed valuations until Inter’s actual stance is verified.
Where this goes from here
As things stand, this is a reported pursuit and nothing more. Barcelona are the only rival club specifically named in Transfermarkt’s report, and there’s no indication of a formal Chelsea approach, agreed personal terms or any timeline for a move. Given how early this looks, supporters shouldn’t expect fast movement – if Chelsea are serious, we’d expect that to become clearer as the window approaches.
In other news…
Chelsea’s defensive rebuild has already produced one concrete piece of business, with the club moving for a young defender over the summer as Alonso reshapes his back line.
Barcelona and Chelsea have crossed paths on transfer targets before, including a separate race for a forward that shows this rivalry for talent isn’t limited to defenders.
