Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly considering launching a €70 million proposal for Inter Milan and Italy midfield mainstay Nicolo Barella.
According to a report from Tutto Mercato Web, Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella is a man in demand this summer in the Premier League, with both Manchester United and Liverpool interested in the midfielder.
Barella came through the ranks at Cagliari and made quite the impression with the senior team, prompting Inter Milan to sign him in the summer of 2019. Brought in on a loan deal initially, the 24-year-old’s transfer was made permanent last year and he has been a huge asset for the Nerazzurri during his time at San Siro.
Indeed, Barella played a key role in Inter Milan’s first Serie A title triumph after an eleven-year wait, while he was also an ever-present in the middle of the park for Italy, as they went on to lift the UEFA Euro 2020 by beating England this past weekend. To date, he has seven goals and 21 assists from 87 appearances for the Nerazzurri.
Barella’s rise to stardom with club and country has seen him attract interest from several top clubs in Europe, with Real Madrid having been linked to him recently. And now, it is Manchester United and Liverpool that have emerged as suitors for the Italian international in the ongoing transfer window.
Manchester United’s need for a new midfielder stems from the uncertain future surrounding two of their stars, Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek. The former is in the final year of his contract with the Red Devils and could be sold in case a new deal is not agreed, whereas the latter endured a difficult debut season after arriving last summer and may be allowed to leave, considering he was hardly a regular.
Even if either of the two central midfielders ends up departing, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will need to replenish the position. While Barcelona prodigy Ilaix Moriba has been linked recently, someone like Barella, who is more experienced and established, would be a worthy option to consider for Manchester United.
Liverpool’s interest in Barella is pretty much straightforward. The Reds need a direct replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum, who ran down his contract with the club to sign for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer this summer. While young Curtis Jones is an option, the unreliable nature of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain means Jurgen Klopp could do with a fresh midfielder in the ranks next season.
To that end, the Merseysiders have identified Barella as one among the options that could fill in the void left by Wijnaldum. In fact, both Liverpool, as well as Manchester United, are now considering launching a proposal worth €70 million in order to tempt Inter Milan to part ways with their star man, amidst their financial troubles.
It now remains to be seen if the Premier League rivals do make a formal approach to try and sign Barella or settle in on alternate targets.
