Liverpool's surprise midfield target set to cost at least €80 million this summer - Reports

Liverpool will need to fork out at least €80 million to sign Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella this summer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness). The Reds are expected to revamp their entire midfield before the start of the 2023-24 season.

Nicolo Barella is one of the few midfielders Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is interested in signing ahead of the new season. According to the aforementioned source, the German manager has been tracking the Italian international for quite some time now.

Liverpool have sent their Italy and Switzerland scout Paul Goldrick and scouting manager Barry Hunter to monitor Barella's progress in Serie A.

However, it will be very difficult for the Reds to sign Barella should they choose to pursue him in the summer transfer window. The midfielder, 26, currently has a contract with Inter Milan until the summer of 2026 and is seemingly happy at the San Siro.

As per Sport Witness, Nicolo Barella has no reason to leave Inter Milan anytime soon. The Italian international is currently earning around €5.5 million per annum and is happy with the project at the club. Liverpool, therefore, will be required to offer Barella a much higher salary to tempt him to move away from Milan.

Nicolo Barella is having a great season for Inter Milan. The central midfielder has contributed six goals and provided seven assists from 30 games across all competitions. He was part of the Scudetto-winning Inter Milan squad during the 2020-21 season and the Italian squad which lifted Euro 2020 by beating England in the final.

One thing is certain is that if the Reds want to rebuild their midfield, they will have to spend huge amounts of money in the summer. Their primary target Jude Bellingham will also see them having to spend upwards of €100 million.

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Liverpool have an aging midfield at the moment which will need replacing soon

Liverpool's current midfield options are all aging, which is why a rebuild is necessary at Anfield. James Milner is 37, Jordan Henderson is 32 and Thiago Alcantara is 31 years old and all are slowing down. Fabinho, on the other hand, will enter his 30s later this year and has been in poor form lately.

This aging midfield has forced manager Klopp to play 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic week-in-week-out in recent times. He has already made 15 appearances for Liverpool this season and has even scored a goal.

Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, along with Milner, have less than six months remaining on their respective contracts. Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain are expected to leave the club at the end of the current season.