Inter, Bastoni risks a Skriniar bis

It’s that by dint of hearing about ghosts, then you end up really dealing with ghosts. This is how it works almost everywhere. Even in Inter. And here the ghost is Milan Skriniar. No, not for the back which still bothers and who knows how – as well as when – will allow the Slovak to return to the field.

Skriniar is the ghost who has already hurt, not just scared, with his “greetings and kisses” in the direction of Paris, without Zhang’s club getting a single euro from it. And since then the Nerazzurri have adopted the “never again” line: never again a similar case, for a renewal it is right to leave well in advance of the expiry of the contract. But then there is reality, often more complicated than the initial plans and desires. This is what is happening with Alessandro Bastoni. That today he is in an identical situation to that of Skriniar 12 months ago. It is, but the distance is wide, both on the figures and on the modality. And time is running out now.

Situation

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Time is running out, because the past teaches us that when we enter market periods, every scenario can change. Two months, that is. Inter have April and May ahead of them to try to reach an agreement on the renewal of Bastoni, whose contract reads as expiring in 2024. From June onwards, nothing can be ruled out, not even the transfer. To be clear: on the plate how can we not consider the hypothesis that “another PSG” shows up and changes the cards on the table? So it went with Skriniar a year ago: the well-planned renewal in May 2022, then the entry of the French on the scene and the story rapidly changing sign. Bastoni likes it, many like it. And Inter are mainly liked by those who already have him in the squad. Nor can we discuss the firm intention of the CEO. Beppe Marotta and ds Piero Ausilio to arrive at the signing. But between the will and the possibility, there is a lot of difference. Inter and Bastoni’s agent, Tullio Tinti, have already met. The first time last December, without even finding an agreement on the modalities. There was no mention of figures at that time. Simply, the Nerazzurri would have liked to discuss a renewal not immediately triggering the contractual adjustment, but only starting from the 2023-24 season. A move that the defender did not like: at that point we postpone the whole discussion, was more or less the answer. But it was not the only contact between the parties, the opportunities have not been lacking even in recent weeks given that Tinti is also Darmian’s agent, he already has the renewal in his pocket.

Distance

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However, when it came to talking about figures, never in depth, a non-trivial distance emerged. Bastoni currently takes just under 3 million euros in fixed income, 2.8 to be exact, with bonuses that bring him to 3.5 million. The crux is an adjustment that the defender would like substantial, in order to earn more or less double the current net salary, around 5.5 million. In any case, this figure is below what a year ago was guaranteed to two other untouchable owners such as Brozovic and Lautaro. And even lower than what had been proposed to Skriniar, before his refusal and signing with PSG. Inter had other figures in mind. That is, an adjustment of around 4 million on a fixed basis, net of performance bonuses. The distance is not minimal. And it takes a good deal of work on both sides to get a signature.

The Premier

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Need an update soon. And it won’t be long before a new summit between the parties. It goes without saying how important it is for Inter to be able to block Bastoni, after having already lost Skriniar. But the issue is sensitive. And several European clubs are following the evolution of the story from a distance. Bastoni is not just any defender. Among other things, with Barella and Lautaro he is the axis around which the Nerazzurri would like to guarantee continuity between one season and the next, beyond what the choices on the bench will be. But he is also a defender in the notebook of many clubs. In Pep Guardiola’s notebook, for example: Manchester City already asked for information in the past, they are still vigilant about the situation. In truth, Chelsea are also careful: the name also came up a year ago with the Blues, in the days of the Lukaku deal. There is no shortage of admirers. It’s up to Inter to prevent the problem by completing the renewal. Because if the door stays open, it’s impossible to predict what will happen. And perhaps the Nerazzurri would find themselves forced to discuss an issue, the transfer, which today no one even wants to consider.