Bastoni dilemma troubles Inter as Barcelona waits to pounce

Inter Milan are putting pressure on their player Alessandro Bastoni, who had been among Barcelona's targets, to renew his contract, which expires in the summer of 2028.

The newspaper Sport report that Inter Milan will sell Bastoni next summer for a fee far lower than expected if he does not extend his contract.

Alessandro Bastoni must now choose between staying at Inter Milan or leaving the door open to a move to the Catalan club.

His contractual situation could prove decisive in a deal that was already on the table during the last summer transfer window.

Tuttomercatoweb report today, Friday, that Inter Milan have made initial contact with those close to Bastoni to open talks over his renewal.

The defender earns around 6 million euros a year. The talks are still in their early stages, and an agreement looks some way off for now.

Barcelona tried to sign Bastoni last summer but ran into very high financial demands.

Inter went as far as valuing the player at around 80 million euros, a sum the Catalan club deemed excessive. That ultimately scuppered any chance of a deal.

Interest in the player has not waned, though. Sky Sports reported recently that contacts between Barcelona and Bastoni's representatives are still ongoing.

Bastoni does not rule out a spell at the Camp Nou, although his priority is to understand the sporting terms of any potential move and the role he would be handed in Hansi Flick's side.

The turning point could come in the summer of 2027. If Bastoni does not renew before then, he will enter his final year with Inter Milan, a circumstance that would transform the terms of any negotiation.

Inter would then face two options. They could either accept an offer below their current demands, or risk losing the player for free when his contract expires in 2028, pocketing nothing from a sale.

That scenario could work in Barcelona's favour. They would get the chance to negotiate from a stronger position and for a fee expected to be lower than the one quoted last summer.

Inter want to keep one of their key men, but Bastoni's decision will settle his future. Renewing would cement his future in Milan. Walking away from a new deal would hand Barça a fresh chance to sign him on far more favourable terms.