Barcelona finds itself in a curious situation regarding its transfer plans.
The club is clearly aiming to sign a new striker to replace Robert Lewandowski in the coming years. At the same time, Barcelona is in urgent need of a new center-back. They have been linked with Nico Schlotterbeck, but it seems the club is more than willing to let Real Madrid take charge of that transfer.
According to Diario SPORT, Deco, Barcelona’s sporting director, is focusing on another defender – Alessandro Bastoni, who is regarded as one of Serie A's best defenders and is also strongly linked to a move to Catalonia.
Significantly, Bastoni himself is eager to join Barcelona. However, the two clubs have yet to agree, as Inter Milan is reluctant to part ways with their key defender. Inter's long-term contract with Bastoni may give them leverage to demand a hefty price, complicating negotiations.
Reports also suggest that Deco is prepared to accommodate new signings by selling some of Barcelona’s current stars. Whether Bastoni is part of this plan remains to be seen.
