Barcelona move for second Serie A defender amid Alessandro Bastoni pursuit

Barcelona have identified Alessandro Bastoni as their leading centre-back for the summer transfer window, and as of right now, the chances of the Inter man ending up at the Spotify Camp Nou are relatively high. And as it turns out, he may not be the only Serie A defender to join the Catalan giants in 2026.

As well as a new centre-back, Barcelona are studying whether to bring in another full-back. In the event that Joao Cancelo does not stay permanently, they would be short on depth – especially at right-back, where there would be no natural option to act as Jules Kounde’s backup.

That is where Marco Palestra could come into things. As reported by Nicolo Schira, and confirmed by MD, Barcelona recently scouted the 21-year-old, who is currently on loan at Cagliari from Atalanta.

Palestra is a rising star in Italy, and during the recent international break, he made his first two appearances for the Azzurri. He operates predominantly as a right-back, although he has featured on the left flank at times during his short career so far, and his versatility will make him more attractive to Barcelona.

Barcelona would face strong competition for Palestra

In the event that Barcelona decide to step up their interest in Palestra, they would face significant competition from clubs across Europe. Liverpool are keen, while Inter are said to be budgeting €35m towards a move of their own – and this move could be bankrolled by the Catalans if they sign Bastoni.

Barcelona are very happy to count on young players, so it makes sense for someone like Palestra to be in their thoughts. But given that they need a new centre-back and striker, coupled with the possibility of a replacement for Marcus Rashford, the likelihood is that they will not have the funds available to meet Atalanta’s asking price, unless they make at least one big sale.

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