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According to a report from Paisley Gates, Liverpool are interested in signing Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella this summer.
But the 24-year-old Italian international will not come cheap. According to the aforementioned source, Liverpool will have to fork out as much as £60 million in order to land Barella.
Liverpool are keen to bring in a replacement for outgoing Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum. The Reds are looking to take advantage of Inter Milan's poor financial situation by signing Nicolo Barella.
However, Liverpool are not the only club interested in signing Nicolo Barella. Various reports from past weeks have also linked the midfielder to Arsenal. With both clubs in dire need of a new midfielder, the race to sign Barella is set to go down to the wire.
Liverpool looking bolster their midfield for next season
Liverpool will be looking to add numbers to their midfield contingent following the departure of Gini Wijnaldum. Jurgen Klopp has a collection of great midfield options which includes the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita.
Despite possessing enough quality in midfield, Liverpool are always moments away from having a player injured. Signing Nicolo Barella will not only increase the number of midfielders at the club but will also improve overall quality.
The Reds will have to find a replacement for Wijnaldum this summer. Since joining Liverpool from Newcastle United in 2016, Wijnaldum has been the most consistent midfielder for the Reds. The 30-year-old played 179 Premier League games out of a possible 190.
Nicolo Barella is renowned for his versatility. The 24-year-old is primarily a box-to-box midfielder, similar to Gini Wijnaldum. Barella has tremendous strength and energy which will help him fit into Jurgen Klopp's gegen-pressing system. The Italian international could also operate as a right-sided center midfielder if Klopp decides to play a two-man midfield in a 4-2-3-1 system.
Nicolo Barella has a contract until 2024 which is the reason why he would cost Liverpool upwards of £60 million. However, signing a young and versatile player like Barella could turn out to be a great investment for Liverpool.
Nicolo Barella had a stellar time in Inter Milan's title-winning season. The 24-year-old contributed to 12 goals, scoring 3 and assisting 9 in 36 appearances. His recent good form with the Nerazzurri has earned him a place in Italy's Euro 2020 squad.
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