Barcelona dealt blow in pursuit of defender as Serie A giants activate contract extension clause

Barcelona dealt blow in pursuit of defender as Serie A giants activate contract extension clause According to SPORT , Barcelona have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Inter Milan defender Federico Dimarco. The Italian left-back’s current contract stood to expire in 2027, which made him a potential free-transfer target for Barcelona for next summer . Inter Milan activate one-year extension However, according to the report, the Serie A giants have activated the option in his contract to extend it by one more year, securing his future at the club until 2028. The development was confirmed by Inter Milan president Giuseppe Marotta, who said: “We have invoked the clause agreed with him, although it would be a unilateral move. But we have agreed to extend his contract for the year. “Dimarco wants to stay, we want him to stay too, and we’re happy. A sense of belonging must take precedence over other considerations.” Dimarco set to continue at Inter Milan. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images) Not only that, but Inter Milan have begun negotiations with Dimarco’s camp over a longer term contract as they intend to retain his services for many more years. Blow for Barcelona This development comes as a blow for Barcelona, who had set their sights on a move for Dimarco next summer. The Catalans had been linked with the Italian left-back last summer as well, with the club exploring a potential swap deal involving Alejandro Balde but the move did not materialise. With Balde out of favour and being linked with a departure, a new addition at left-back in the form of an experienced player like Dimarco could have been a smart move for Barcelona. However, Inter Milan’s latest move significantly reduces the likelihood of that operation materialising. Out of favour at Barcelona. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) With Dimarco now tied to the Serie A champions until 2028 and further contract discussions already planned, Barcelona would face a much more complicated negotiation if they wanted to pursue the 28-year-old. Moreover, as pointed out by Marotta, Dimarco also wishes to stay at Inter Milan, which further makes any potential transfer extremely unlikely for the Catalan giants. For now, Hansi Flick has Joao Cancelo and Xavi Espart as his preferred choices in the left-back position, while Gerard Martin would also be an option even though he has featured regularly as a centre-back.