Inter Milan (Inter) Director General Piero Ausilio did not hide his displeasure toward Barcelona, which is targeting key defender Alessandro Bastoni (27).
Ausilio directly addressed the recent transfer rumors about Bastoni moving to Barcelona at a news conference held in Coverciano, Italy, on the 21st (Korean time).
In an interview with Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Ausilio drew a line under the recent transfer rumors, saying, "Bastoni is under contract with Inter, and at present there is no situation that would justify speculating that he will leave the team."
Ausilio then aimed at Barcelona, emphasizing, "I don't know what they are babbling about, but we are satisfied with the performances Bastoni has shown at Inter."
He raised his voice, saying, "If they are truly interested in Bastoni, they should not just talk outside; they know our phone number, so they should call directly."
Earlier, Spain's Mundo Deportivo reported that Barcelona had identified Bastoni as its top target to strengthen the defense for the 2026-2027 season.
There are rumors that Barcelona has already begun negotiations with Bastoni's agent, but there appears to be no official contact between clubs yet. Besides Barcelona, Liverpool is also monitoring Bastoni's situation.
Bastoni was also singled out as the main cause of Italy's failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup after receiving a red card in the World Cup playoff match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on the 1st.
At that time, Italy led 1-0 after Moise Kean's opening goal in the 15th minute of the first half. But in the 41st minute of the first half, Bastoni committed a reckless tackle and was sent off with a straight red, shifting the momentum.
He started as a starting defender. But when Italy led 1-0 after Moise Kean's opening goal in the 15th minute of the first half, in the 41st minute he committed a reckless tackle and was sent off with a straight red.
With Italy down to ten men after Bastoni's red card, they could not withstand Bosnia's attacks and conceded the equalizer in the 34th minute of the second half. The match then went to extra time and a penalty shootout, where Italy fell 1-4.
Although Bastoni was the main reason for Italy's elimination, he was a key asset that allowed Inter this season to be on the verge of winning the Serie A title. Inter sit on 78 points, 12 points ahead of the second-place group AC Milan and Napoli (both on 66 points).
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