Inter Milan have been unable to tie down centre-back Alessandro Bastoni to a new contract, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The former Atalanta defender has only one year on his contract and Inter could lose him for free if they keep him beyond this summer.
Bastoni could go down the path of defensive partner Milan Skriniar. The Slovakian defender ran down his contract and will join Paris Saint-Germain for free this summer.
The Nerazzurri have around two months to agree to a new deal with Bastoni, with genuine fears growing that he could walk for free.
Bastoni’s agent Tullio Tinti spoke with Inter in December 2022 but did not discuss numbers. The meeting was for both parties to express their interest in the contract renewal.
The player is reportedly unhappy with some cost-cutting moves the club has been taking regarding his deal.
The 23-year-old wants to increase his €3.2 million salary to around €5.5m. He believes this is a fair demand and is less than what the club offered to Lautaro Martinez and Marcelo Brozovic.
It is also lower than what was offered to Skriniar to prevent him from moving to PSG.
The club will meet with Bastoni again for another meeting. The situation is now a sensitive case that Inter must resolve or risk losing a top asset.
The defender will attract top European clubs. He will not lack suitors after establishing himself as one of the best young defensive talents in the world.
Premier League club Manchester City appreciates his profile. He is a left-footed centre-half with excellent ball-playing ability.
The league champions could lose Aymeric Laporte this summer and will need a replacement. They targeted Josko Gvardiol, but the Inter man is a more experienced and cheaper option.
Chelsea are also monitoring the player’s situation. They also have Gvardiol on their shortlist but could turn to the Italy international.
