Liverpool and Tottenham are both interested in Nicolo Barella, with the Reds reportedly leading the race for the Cagliari midfielder.
The Express are claiming that it is Liverpool that are leading the race for Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella. The youngster is on the radar of Liverpool and Tottenham. Cagliari value the young midfielder at around £35 million, according to the report.
Nicolo Barella has emanated from the Cagliari youth setup. The player managed to break through the senior setup in the 2016-17 season, with the midfielder becoming a regular from the get-go. Barella was more prolific in the 2017-18 season, scoring 6 important goals from midfield.
The 2018-19 campaign has started with Barella managing to hold on to his role as a starter within the setup, despite the addition of Lucas Castro, Filip Bradaric and Alberto Cerri. The 21-year-old already has a goal to his name this season and was even handed the armband in the 1-1 draw against AC Milan over the weekend.
Already being considered for the armband at the age of 21, Barella is an ideal leader in the middle of the park, of the same mould as the legends of the footballing fraternity. The Cagliari midfielder is now drawing attention from the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham among other clubs.
Liverpool are pretty stacked in the midfield position, with Naby Keita, Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson and James Milner as the options for the three positions in the middle of the park. Jurgen Klopp though, is still seeking an addition to the roster, with the club not really able to replace Emre Can’s presence within the squad.
Tottenham, on the other hand, are in genuine need of injection of some fresh faces within the first-team squad. Spurs failed to sign any player in the summer transfer window, which has seen their squad wear thin, especially the midfield.
Spurs operate with two midfielders at the base, with either a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-4-2-1 formation. Mousa Dembele, Harry Winks, Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko and Victor Wanyama are available at Mauricio Pochettino’s disposal. But, Sissoko is hardly considered while Dembele could reportedly be looking to switch clubs, having entered the last year of his contract.
Midfield is one of the most important areas for Tottenham and Pochettino will be aware that a couple of new faces could really lift up the morale in the dressing room.
For now, Liverpool are reportedly leading the chase for Nicolo Barella. But, should both the clubs meet Cagliari’s £35 million valuation, the entire thing might come down to the promise of game time and the track record. Spurs have a better record of pushing through youngsters into the first-team setup and could stand a better chance.
