The summer transfer market is in full swing, and that means there will be plenty of buzz about players and if they’ll be at their current clubs once the new campaign starts in August.
One of these players is Jordi Alba. The Spanish international, who’s been a mainstay for Barcelona for nearly a decade since returning as a senior playeer in 2012, where he’s won nearly 20 major titles, including five La Liga crowns and one Champions League. However, the Blaugrana are facing a major financial crisis, and with the club desperate to keep Lionel Messi on their books, that means that they will need to move some high earning personnel on.
Barcelona have also brought in players like Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero, Emerson Royal, and Eric Garcia to boost the team ahead of the upcoming season, and that again means funds need to be freed up.
Alba’s contract expires in 2024, and he has a buyout clause of €500 million. According to Mundo Deportivo and ESPN, one club that’s reportedly interested in his services is Inter. The Scudetto winners would also be interested in a swap deal, trading the experienced defender for Alessandro Bastoni.
Bastoni, a 22-year-old Italian international, has spent two of his past four seasons away from the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on loan with Atalanta and Parma. A left-footed player who can play as both a center back and a full-back, he’s currently away on international duty with the Azzurri, who are hoping to have a major splash at this summer’s Euro championship.
Yet, according to the same report, Alba has no interest in moving away from Camp Nou. Still, with Barcelona needing to make some changes, and Messi’s contract being of the utmost priority, time will tell whether he’ll be able to dig in his heels successfully and remain beyond this summer.
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