Agent Tullio Tinti visited Inter's offices on Wednesday morning and was stopped for comment by Sky Sport Italia after leaving the building. His message left no room for interpretation.
"We didn't go to Inter to discuss Bastoni, who is an Inter player in all respects and has a contract for two more seasons. He always wears the Inter shirt. He respects the contract and is happy here — there has never been a problem."
Asked directly about Barcelona's well-documented interest, Tinti maintained the same line.
"A player like him is liked by all the big clubs. But he is an Inter player and has a contract with Inter. He will definitely stay here. In football anything can happen, but he is happy where he is. In life you never know, but he is happy at home."
Bastoni made 40 appearances across all competitions for Inter Milan in the 2025-26 season, contributing two goals and six assists, as the club won the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia under head coach Cristian Chivu — who succeeded Simone Inzaghi after the Italian departed for Al-Hilal.
Barcelona had submitted an opening offer of approximately €45 million for the defender in the spring, which Inter rejected immediately. The Nerazzurri's minimum acceptable fee had been set at €70 million. The gap was too wide to bridge, and Bastoni's own desire to leave — which had existed earlier in the year during a difficult personal period following the Pierre Kalulu red card controversy and Italy's World Cup playoff defeat to Bosnia — had faded as Inter's domestic successes renewed his connection to the club.
Inter's sporting director Piero Ausilio had already stated publicly: "I'll say it again, we want to keep Bastoni. We are happy to have him. Inter certainly won't be the ones calling for him to leave."
Chivu echoed the sentiment in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"He is one of our champions. It is normal that transfer rumours circulate around him because, for me, he is one of the best centre-backs in the world. I know what kind of person Alessandro is, but above all I know what he has given us, what he gives us and what he will give us in the future."
Barcelona will now redirect their defensive recruitment toward alternatives. Liverpool had also been tracking Bastoni. Both clubs now know the answer.