Inter hope a new £21m contract will see off interest from Liverpool, according to reports. The Italians have a star they don’t want to lose.
This comes from Gazzetta Dello Sport. They claim that Inter are on the cusp of a new contract for Nico Barella. The deal would be worth around £21m and keep the Italian long-term.
Barella has emerged as a true superstar over the last year. He played a key role as Inter ended their Scudetto drought in 2021 before helping Italy win the European Championship.
There’s little doubt that Barella is currently one of the world’s best midfielders – but that only brings interest.
Both Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain want Barella, says GDS, and Inter hope this contract ends that interest. Importantly, they’re securing this contract without including a release clause.
That puts the power firmly in Inter’s hands. If they want Barella long-term, they’ll have him for the duration of the contract – even with rich clubs seeking their talent.
This is a club that was effectively forced to sell Achraf Hakimi and Romelu Lukaku this summer – the former to PSG. Barella, though, is their crown jewel. They won’t want him going anywhere.
Inter to secure Barella contract
We’re not sure Liverpool ever had a realistic chance of signing Barella as the asking price was always going to be huge. A release clause really was the best way for the 24-year-old to end up at Anfield.
Without that, we can probably rule this one out. Barella is a magnificent player and one we’d love to see at Liverpool. The time to get him was a year ago, though, before his ascent to the top of European football.
Liverpool will be better served to find the next Barella, rather than trying to secure the current superstar.
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