Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Nicolo Barella from Inter Milan next summer, with the Serie A club setting a lofty price tag for the talented midfielder.
A new report from Fichajes details that the Reds are among four sides keeping an eye on the midfielder, with both Madrid clubs and Manchester City also keen on him.
It’s mentioned that the 27-year-old’s performance against Pep Guardiola’s side in the Champions League last month caught the attention of big European clubs.
Barella made two key passes, one tackle and one interception and recorded a 90.6% passing completion rate in the 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium (WhoScored). Fichajes adds that he ‘outperformed Rodri’ in that encounter, impressing City’s Spanish boss.
However, a move won’t come cheap, as Inter value their star midfielder at €90m (£75.1m) and will not even entertain bids short of that mark.
Barella joined the 2010 Champions League winners four years ago and have since tied him down to a contract which runs to 2029, so any transfer before then is set to be rather expensive.
Barella is quality but a move at that price doesn’t make sense for Liverpool
This is not the first time that the Italy international has been linked with a move to Anfield, having previously been named as a transfer target in 2023.
Discussing the rumours from last year, ex-Reds defender Steve Nicol called Barella ‘fantastic’, adding that he’d fit the profile that Liverpool require and would be a great addition to the squad.
It’s important to note that these reports emerged during Jurgen Klopp’s time with the Reds – under Arne Slot, there has been no indication of LFC wanting to add the playmaker to their ranks until this latest report emerged.
The 27-year-old’s quality and experience are beyond question. He has consistently averaged over 1.5 key passes per game for Inter and Italy since 2020 (WhoScored) and has racked up more than 350 senior appearances at club and international level since his Serie A debut for Cagliari Calcio in the 2014/15 season (Transfermarkt).
However, a move at the reported price is something we can’t see happening. The Reds have a variety of midfield options in their squad, including the likes of Alexis MacAllister and the radically improved Ryan Gravenberch.
Of course, Barella may be deemed an upgrade over the likes of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott. However, it is more believable that the Reds might go back in for Martin Zubimendi, a midfielder with lesser experience but more specialised in the number 6 role and with a more afforadble release clause of £51m.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah’s all into the final nine months of their current deals, Liverpool will likely focus on either extending the contracts or finding replacements for the trio of world-class stars – both scenarios will be expensive affairs for Richard Hughes and co.
With that in mind, spending £75m+ on the Italian playmaker might be a luxury that LFC can’t afford.