‘I don’t even pay attention to the news‘ — €80 million-rated Inter Milan star responds to Barcelona links | OneFootball

FC Barcelona lost one of their most important defenders, Inigo Martinez, in the last summer transfer window, and since then, they have been closely linked with several notable defenders to fill the gap left by the Spaniard’s departure.

One such name that has been associated with the Blaugranes in this time has been the Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, whom Barcelona fans would remember well from some of their recent clashes with the Italian side and some of the comments he made on social media after these matches.

As Fabrizio Romano has reported, Bastoni spoke about the speculation linking him to Barcelona during a press conference ahead of Inter’s Italian Super Cup semi-final against Bologna.

The €80 million-rated left-footed central defender, who is under contract with Inter until 2028, expressed pride at being linked with the Blaugranes but emphasized that there is nothing concrete at this stage. He said:

“It makes me proud to be linked [with Barça], it means I am doing well, but there is nothing. I’m happy here at Inter, and I have no issues. I don’t even pay attention to the news.”

Recent reports have suggested that Barcelona are interested in bringing the Italian defender to Camp Nou to partner with Pau Cubarsi. However, the Italian’s comments have clearly reduced the likelihood of an immediate move.

Barcelona fans also have mixed memories of Bastoni, particularly from his social media posts following Inter’s 1-0 victory at San Siro in October 2022. He posted a photo appearing to grab Gavi by the shirt while the young midfielder fell to the ground, celebrating the win with the caption “victory with heart and character.”

After the 3-3 draw at Camp Nou a week later, Bastoni again posted a video mocking Barcelona, showing teammate Nicolo Barella leaving the stadium in a wheelbarrow pushed by Dimarco with the message “Playing at the Camp Nou is nothing stressful.”

While these past actions have not endeared him to Barcelona supporters, Bastoni’s quality as a defender is undeniable, and his arrival would undoubtedly strengthen the Blaugrana backline. For now, however, he remains focused on his future at Inter, leaving any potential transfer to Barcelona uncertain.