Contract wall blocks Al-Hilal's bid for Inter defender Bastoni

With his contract running until June 2028, 27‑year‑old Alessandro Bastoni remains firmly tied to Inter, making Al‑Hilal’s reported interest in the defender appear unlikely at present. The Saudi side, coached by former Inter boss Simone Inzaghi, would reunite with the player, but no formal offer has emerged.

The summer began with Bastoni was closer than ever to leaving San Siro, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea among the clubs interested. Those European giants were cited as monitoring his situation as the transfer window opened.

Inter coach Cristian Chivu was adamant that Bastoni was not for sale, despite angry reactions from fans across Italy to his behaviour in the incident involving Juventus player Pierre Kalulu. Chivu highlighted the simulation that led to Kalulu’s dismissal and the subsequent red card in Italy’s World Cup play‑off. The episode also triggered a police investigation.

Transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio said Al‑Hilal have made an approach to buy Bastoni, although there is no formal offer on the table yet. Di’s assessment underscores that the Saudi side’s interest has not yet materialised into a concrete proposal.

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A move remains extremely unlikely because Bastoni does not want a switch to the Saudi Pro League at this stage of his career, even if it would mean reuniting with Simone Inzaghi. The defender has expressed a preference to continue his development in Europe rather than relocate to Saudi Arabia.

Another obstacle is that Al‑Hilal would first need to sell a player in order to fund the acquisition of a new overseas signing. This financial prerequisite adds another layer of complexity to any potential deal.

Bastoni is contracted with Inter until June 2028 and the club is expected to negotiate an extension, reinforcing his long‑term future at the Italian side. On 17 May 2026 he posed for a photo with the Coppa Italia and Serie A trophies after Inter’s Serie A match against Hellas Verona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.

With no formal offer and a firm contractual position, Bastoni is expected to stay with Inter, while Al‑Hilal’s interest remains speculative and contingent on future developments.