Liverpool are believed to be considering a move for Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t the Daily Mirror).
Barella, 21, enjoyed an impressive campaign last term as Cagliari beat the drop to stay up in Serie A. He has represented Italy from Under-15 level all the way up to the Under-21s, with Cagliari offering him some valuable first-team experience.
After playing close to 70 games over the last two seasons and scoring an eye-catching 6 goals last term, Barella appears to have caught the attention of Liverpool. But Liverpool aren’t the only club interested in the 21-year-old midfield ace as the likes of Inter Milan, AS Roma, Atletico Madrid and Lyon are also vying for his signature.
The Reds boss has hinted that his summer business is done after completing deals for Naby Keita, Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker, but our gaffer did admit that his stance could change if the right deal presented itself.
However, considering our club’s current options in the midfield, it is hard to see Barella bulldozing his way into Klopp’s XI. There is no doubting Barella’s potential as the highly-rated midfielder has been capped at every youth level for Italy and was called up to the senior squad for World Cup qualifiers.
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But Barella is just 21 and at this point in time, he needs to play regularly to unlock his true potential. A move to Liverpool won’t guarantee him first-team opportunities, which will only prove detrimental to his development. Hence, it is best for the player to stay put at Cagliari for another year and continue his progress in Serie A.
