Barcelona’s centre-back search gets complicated
Barcelona already know they need to reinforce at centre-back. The only slightly inconvenient part is that their preferred target, Alessandro Bastoni, is proving difficult to pry away from Inter Milan.
The Italian defender remains the club’s top choice for the position, with Barcelona viewing him as the ideal long-term addition. They have already taken a formal step by submitting an opening offer thought to be worth around €45 million. Inter, naturally, are not in the mood to make things easy and are reportedly standing firm on a valuation closer to €60 million.
That gap has forced Barcelona to keep their options open. Football, after all, does occasionally involve more than one plan.
Lucumi returns to the conversation
According to a report from SPORT, Barcelona have renewed their interest in Jhon Lucumi, the 27-year-old Colombian international who plays for Bologna.
Lucumi is not a brand-new name on the club’s list. He has been monitored by Barcelona for more than a year, largely because his profile fits what the sporting department is looking for. With the Bastoni deal still unresolved, he has now reappeared as a serious alternative.
There is also a practical angle here. Lucumi’s contract with Bologna runs until 2027, but he has reportedly turned down a renewal offer. That does not automatically make him available, of course, because contracts tend to be stubborn things, but it does give clubs a reason to circle.
Competition is already building
Barcelona are not the only club watching the situation. Lucumi is attracting attention from England and Turkey as well, with Bournemouth and Sunderland among the Premier League sides tracking him. Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe are also said to be keeping tabs on his future.
Even so, Barcelona are still in the mix and remain alert to how the Bastoni pursuit develops. Deco is reportedly keen to act quickly if negotiations with Inter break down entirely.
So the picture is fairly clear: Bastoni is still the dream, but Lucumi is no longer just a name on a long list. He is now a genuine fallback option, which is exactly the sort of tidy planning clubs prefer to mention after the expensive option gets complicated.
