Inter are getting closer and closer to agreeing a contract extension with defender Alessandro Bastoni.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who report that the Nerazzurri and the 23-year-old have never been closer following yesterday’s round of talks between the club and the player’s agent.

Inter have made extending Bastoni’s contract past the end of June 2024 a priority.

There is absolutely no intention on the part of the Nerazzurri to risk a Skriniar-style situation that could see the 23-year-old depart on a free transfer at the end of season, so the club want to have talks wrapped up well before the end of the summer transfer window.

Towards this end, the Nerazzurri held the latest meeting with Bastoni’s agent Tulio Tinti yesterday, in which the Gazzetta reports that serious progress was made in terms of the negotiations.

Where in previous meetings Inter had informally floated the possibility of a new deal worth €4 million net per season for the defender, yesterday there were more concrete talks regarding terms.

The Nerazzurri formally put an offer of €4.5 million net per season on the table, the Gazzetta reports.

Whilst this is still far from meeting the demands of Bastoni and his representatives, there was a sense that the Nerazzurri could go higher, and that in actuality the remaining distance between the parties is about €1 million net per season.

Moreover, the Gazzetta emphasizes, there is a strong sense that all parties want to reach an agreement, as Bastoni wants to stay.

In terms of the duration of a new contract for the 23-year-old, he could put pen to paper on a deal running until the end of June 2027, or 2028.

Bastoni has so far made 148 appearances in all competitions for Inter, since joining the club from Atalanta in 2017 and making his debut during the 2019-20 season.