Alessandro Bastoni, the 27-year-old Inter Milan and Italy centre-back, has been placed under formal investigation for child prostitution by the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office, Italian judicial sources confirmed. He is due to appear before magistrates on Friday to answer allegations that he paid for sex with a girl who was 17 years and eight months old at the time of the suspected encounter in July 2020.

The investigation forms part of a larger probe into Ma.De, an events agency based in Cinisello Balsamo near Milan, which prosecutors suspect of running a prostitution ring catering to wealthy clients, including Serie A footballers. Four individuals linked to the agency, among them its owners and a PR representative, are already under house arrest on charges of exploiting prostitution. Intercepted chat messages cited by Italian media show the PR agent, Alessio Salamone, allegedly telling Bastoni that “the underage girl wants to sleep with you” and, after the player asked about a place to “hide”, replying “we’ll figure something out, at worst you can take her home”. A subsequent message from Bastoni read “all good, lion”.

The young woman, now an adult, has been questioned as a witness and, according to multiple Italian news reports, told investigators she spent the night at Bastoni’s home but denied any sexual activity or payment. “I am not a prostitute, I did not prostitute myself with Bastoni and I did not take money,” she was quoted as saying. Bastoni’s lawyer, Salvatore Scuto, has categorically rejected the accusation, stating: “I can rule out that he ever engaged in paid sexual relations, let alone with minors.”

Three other footballers — Daniel Maldini of Atalanta, Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori and Kevin Bonifazi of Bologna — have been summoned as witnesses, not suspects, after their names surfaced in intercepted conversations. Prosecutors have not disclosed the content of those exchanges, and the players are expected to clarify the nature of their contacts with the agency.

The Milan prosecutor’s office has made no public comment on the case. Bastoni’s interrogation on Friday is the next procedural step; he may choose to answer questions or exercise his right to remain silent. The wider investigation into the Ma.De agency remains active.