Newcastle United are understood to be still interested in signing Inter Milan playmaker Nicolo Barella and could come back in for the Italian international next summer.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Premier League side Newcastle United will prioritise a move for 26-year-old Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella ahead of the 2024/25 season, despite having had an approach rejected for the player last summer.
The report adds that the Italian maestro “could be the perfect complement” for the team’s midfield triumvirate alongside Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. But landing him will not be easy. Still, his indisputable world-class quality makes him a priority target for the Magpies for the summer of 2024.
Newcastle United have now begun to find their form after a tricky start to the campaign. Three straight Premier League wins had seen them move up to eighth in the table before they played West Ham United. Add to that the Carabao Cup triumph and a 4-1 Champions League thrashing of Paris Saint-Germain, and things are looking good.
Eddie Howe has been praised for his astute recruitment to date. But a lot of their transfer focus in the summer was initially spent on Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella. It is no secret that the Magpies’ first tried their luck to sign the 26-year-old. But they were ultimately unsuccessful with their £50 million approach as Inter were firmly against selling their talisman.
As soon as the deal looked unlikely, they swiftly moved on to alternative targets. In the end, they did snap up another Italian maestro from Serie A as they managed to prize Sandro Tonali away from his boyhood club AC Milan. But he is a different kind of midfielder, being more defensive.
Newcastle United fans are certainly more than happy with Tonali coming in as another top-class Italian midfielder after a fine start to life on Tyneside. However, Fichajes now claims the Magpies’ are still eyeing a move for the Inter Milan star.
Barella has a contract with Inter until 2026. So, the club are under little pressure to sell the Italian international. But it seems they would be willing to do business if they received a big fee for their star player. Having already spent a fortune on securing the signature of Tonali last summer, it is difficult to see the prospect of Newcastle spending big on Barella.
Barella is without a doubt a highly talented midfielder and was recently named on the shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or for his part in Inter Milan’s Champions League achievements last term. Despite his glowing CV, Newcastle United may not afford him after Tonali’s arrival.
Barella may well be a little too old for what they are trying to build right now. Their midfield department is already stacked with standout performers, with young guns like Elliot Anderson and Lewis Miley making impressive strides to add to an already capable senior ranks starring the likes of Joelinton, Joe Willock, and Sean Longstaff.
Newcastle’s rumoured interest in Barella last summer raises some eyebrows too. The Toon prefer to keep their transfer dealings under wraps, often using smokescreens and fake stories to divert attention from the real business.
