Liverpool will need at least €80m if they wish to sign Nico Barella from Inter Milan, with him on their list of potential targets this summer.
That’s according to Gazzetta dello Sport, who cover the Reds’ interest in the midfielder today amid a planned renovation of their midfield this summer.
They explain that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been having Barella ‘followed by’ scouts for some time and they have him on the list of midfielders they are looking at as the German plans to ‘revolutionise’ his team in the summer window.
They want 2-3 reinforcements in the middle of the park and at least one defender, with Alessandro Bastoni someone they’re also looking at for the latter.
Barella has been followed ‘for some time’ by scouts ‘sent by’ Klopp, including their scout for Italy and Switzerland Paul Goldrick and the Reds’ scout manager Barry Hunter.
At the moment Klopp is dreaming of a move for Jude Bellingham but knows he will cost well over €120m, while Matheus Nunes and Moises Caicedo are also on his list but will also prove to be expensive.
Unfortunately that will also be the case for Barella, who has a contract at Inter until 2026 and is ‘happy’ to remain there for the time being.
Indeed, if the market goes as expected he will be the deputy captain next season and that, coupled with an important salary worth €5.5m plus bonuses means he has ‘no reasons to leave’. He is also ‘convinced’ of the project at the club.
However, it is unknown what Liverpool’s bid could be and what they would be willing to offer him and so that causes slight doubts.
That doesn’t change Inter’s stance, though. They paid €49m included bonuses for the player but after he won the Serie A title and the European Championship with Italy, his value is at least €80m. A figure that only English clubs, PSG and Real Madrid can afford.
Whether Liverpool are one of those English clubs is debatable after big outlays in the last 12 months but they have Barella on their list nonetheless as Klopp plans an overhaul of the midfield.
