Liverpool to face off against Chelsea in the pursuit of Nicolo Barella
According to CMW (h/t Liverpool Echo), Chelsea have joined the race to land Italian superstar Nicolo Barella amidst interest from Liverpool.
The Blues are rebuilding under Todd Boehly and will be keen to get the new era off to a good start. Landing Barella would be a statement of sorts for the Blues.
The Inter Milan ace is already on the radar of top European clubs this summer and the Nerazzurri value the 25-year-old central midfielder highly. They are unwilling to part ways with the player for anything below £80m.
Barella joined Inter on loan initially from Cagliari in the summer of 2019 and was part of the Italian squad which won the Euro 2020 at Wembley.
He racked up three goals and 13 assists playing as a Central Midfielder over the 2021/22 league campaign. He started just one game as a defensive midfielder the whole season, against Sassuolo in Serie A. His box-to-box style of play can suit both Chelsea and Liverpool, with the former also looking for a long-term replacement for midfield mainstay Ngolo Kante.
As far as a Liverpool perspective is concerned, The Reds ideally would have Barella on board as our starting midfield is starting to age and are on the wrong side of the thirties.
Barella is currently penned down long to Inter as his contract expires only in the summer of 2026. A move to Anfield this summer could prove to be unlikely as Jurgen Klopp ruled out any more signings unless any of the other fringe midfielders move on.
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With Chelsea’s brewing interests, Liverpool would hope to act soon so that a Premier League rival does not get hold of a long-term transfer target.
