Barcelona have drawn up plans to sign a new central defender during this summer’s upcoming transfer window, and while Alessandro Bastoni is their leading target, he’s not the only player being considered by club officials.
Bastoni does appear to be edging closer and closer to a Barcelona move, with Inter having opened the door for their star defender to leave. However, it will only happen in the event that their asking price is met, which may be difficult to do for the Catalans given their well-documented financial woes.
Barcelona are considering a number of candidates to reinforce their defence, and one of them is Jhon Lucumi. According to Sport, the Bologna and Colombia star is on the list of Plan B targets that will be looked to if Bastoni is not able to be brought to the Spotify Camp Nou this summer.
Lucumi is a player that Barcelona have been monitoring for some time. He emerged as a target last year, and while no move was made at that time, one could happen this summer depending on how the situation with Bastoni plays out.
Barcelona will hope that Lucumi isn’t needed
Lucumi would be a cut-price option for Barcelona, given that he will be on the market this summer for below his market value. The fact that his contract is up in 2027 means that Bologna would not have a lot of leeway during negotiations, which would make him an ideal candidate to head to Catalonia.
Despite this, Barcelona are clear that Bastoni is their man for the summer. He is the one they want to get over the line by any means possible, although it will only happen if they can manage to reach an agreement with Inter. Talks have already been held with the Nerazzurri, but they haven’t gone well so far.
