Key Reason why Real Madrid did not press to sign Inter Milan defender this summer | OneFootball

The second half of Real Madrid’s summer transfer window was headlined by Jose Mourinho’s incessant demands for a second centre-back signing.

While the club did sign Ibrahima Konate in the summer, the new manager saw a real need for a second starting-quality central defender, especially given Eder Militao’s uncertain fitness and Antonio Rudiger’s age.

One of the players who Mourinho saw as a top target, on that front, was Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni who will play at the Santiago Bernabeu later today in the first game week of the UEFA Champions League.

Why Real Madrid did not sign Bastoni

In a recent update, Diario AS confirm the reasons why Real Madrid did not end up signing Bastoni this summer despite the player being Mourinho’s top target.

For starters, Inter Milan refused to let the player leave this summer for even a dime less than €70 million, and even the player was in no hurry to leave the club.

Real Madrid face Inter Milan tonight. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)

There has indeed been friction between Bastoni and the Inter Milan fanbase in recent times, but the player has not shown any advancement from his side to leave.

In fact, he has always publicly transmitted his happiness at the club and Inter saw the sum demanded as more than fair.

From Real Madrid’s perspective, however, the €70 million was affordable but landed in a grey area in terms of necessity. Eventually, the administration did not sanction Mourinho’s demand to sign Bastoni.

The second reason

Beyond the economics of the deal, however, there is a second important factor that played a role in the Real Madrid-Bastoni saga – Raul Asencio.

Asencio’s departure would have enabled a new signing. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)

Los Blancos saw a departure from defence as essential before even considering any new arrival in the department, simply because of the full squad.

Raul Asencio, however, refused to leave despite being directly told by the manager that he is not in the team’s plans.

Had the Spaniard left, Bastoni would be the team’s top target. As fate has it, however, the defender will play for Inter Milan at the Bernabeu on a night when he could well have been dressed in white.