Liverpool Remain Interested in Nicolo Barella Amid Links with Others
Liverpool are among a host of clubs interested in Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, though his price tag may prove too high. Newcastle are currently in negotiations with Inter regarding a possible deal, while Liverpool are similarly interested in the 26-year-old as they feel his energy fits with exactly what they want from a second midfielder to complement Alexis Mac Allister.
Inter Milan’s Asking Price for Nicolo Barella
Inter Milan are looking for £80 million for the Italy international, with Newcastle only willing to pay £50 million. Liverpool are also believed to be put off by the asking price, and are looking at alternative targets such as OGC Nice’s Khephren Thuram, who is viewed as “more affordable.”
Liverpool’s Long-Standing Interest in Nicolo Barella
Claims of Liverpool’s interest in Barella go back as far as 2018 in his native Italy, while as recently as this summer Liverpool journalist Neil Jones reaffirmed interest. In his book Intensity, assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders name-checked the midfielder on a number of occasions, while in a column for The Athletic in 2021 he praised his “big heart and calmness.”
Alternative Targets for Liverpool and Newcastle
Newcastle could opt to pursue other midfielders, with Thuram having been linked in the past, though Miguel Delaney of the Independent touts AC Milan’s Sandro Tonali and Chelsea‘s Conor Gallagher as the possibilities. Liverpool may also look at other targets, though their interest in Barella suggests they will continue to monitor the situation.