Real Madrid Targets Bastoni as Mourinho Seeks Squad Clarity

Preseason is a week away at Real Madrid, and Jose Mourinho still does not know exactly what his squad will look like when he walks onto the training pitch. The summer rebuild has started, but it is far from finished.

The club have already moved on from three heavyweights: Dani Ceballos, Dani Carvajal and David Alaba have all said their goodbyes. Those exits have opened space, but not enough. Madrid still need to clear more room and, crucially, still need to buy.

Four signings are already through the door, yet Mourinho has asked for two more pillars: a centre-back and a midfielder. The midfield plan has stalled. Targets Matues Fernandes and Enzo Fernandez are off the table, forcing Madrid back to the drawing board in the middle of the pitch.

At the back, though, the picture is sharper.

Bastoni at the top of the list

Alessandro Bastoni has emerged as the clear defensive priority. According to SPORT, via journalist Fabio Gatto, Madrid are preparing to contact Inter Milan this week to test the waters over the Italian’s availability and price.

The approach will be direct: Madrid want to know Inter’s intentions and the starting figure for negotiations. The expectation is that the Serie A champions will value Bastoni at around €65 million, a fee that reflects his status as one of Europe’s most coveted left-footed centre-backs.

Time is not on Madrid’s side. Mourinho wants his defence settled quickly, and the club are described as keen to wrap up the operation as soon as possible.

They also sense an opening.

A player ready to move

Bastoni himself is pushing the door open. He has turned down a contract renewal at Inter that included a pay rise, a clear signal that he is ready for a new chapter and has set his sights on the Bernabéu.

For Madrid, that matters. They are not just chasing a profile; they are chasing a player who actively wants the move. A left-footed central defender of his quality would give balance to a back line currently dominated by right-footers, exactly the kind of structural tweak Mourinho likes to build around.

But Madrid cannot simply add him to an already crowded dressing room.

A packed backline must be trimmed

The numbers are stark: 11 defenders are currently on the books. Before Bastoni can arrive, at least one centre-back and one left-back need to go.

The club are working on exits, with Fran Garcia and Raul Asencio viewed as prime candidates to depart this summer. Only once that defensive congestion eases will Madrid have the space – and the justification – to invest heavily in another central defender.

So the clock ticks down to preseason. Mourinho waits for clarity. Bastoni waits for Madrid’s call. Inter wait for the offer that forces a decision.

If the deal happens, it will not just be another signing. It will be a statement that Real Madrid are willing to reshape their defence, and perhaps their future, around a left foot from Serie A.