Nicolo Barella is not interested in joining Liverpool this summer despite senior figures at Inter Milan being ‘open’ to selling the dynamic midfielder for the right price, that’s according to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Liverpool Echo).
The Express have reported that Jurgen Klopp’s side are interested in a move for the Italian while Newcastle and Chelsea are also believed to be in the race for his signature.
He had a brilliant campaign for the San Siro outfit as they secured a top four finish and were narrowly beaten by Manchester City in the Champions League final earlier this month.
The 26-year-old scored nine goals and registered 10 assists (across all competitions) and it’s therefore no surprise that he’s being linked with a move to the Premier League this summer.
Klopp is eager to bolster his options in the middle of the park and a player with the energy and dynamism of the former Cagliari man would no doubt strengthen our side.
Steven Gerrard recently claimed that Barella is a player ‘coming into his prime’ which suggests that now would be the ideal time to sign the Inter No. 23.
It appears that the player himself isn’t too excited by the prospecting of moving to Merseyside (if this fresh report is to be believed), but thankfully there are plenty of other midfielders that we’re believed to be keeping tabs on this summer.
Alexis Mac Allister has already been signed from Brighton but we’re expecting at least another two signings ahead of next season.
Liverpool could sign £2.5m forward also wanted by Newcastle and Man United after rule change
Liverpool and their competitors now have a new opportunity because to changes made by the Home Office about who is eligible for a work visa in the UK. And one prospective move involving the Reds has already been mentioned.
Before the United Kingdom left the European Union, players from the EU could enter the English league without needing to apply for a work permit, but players from outside the EU still had to do so. This is something that Liverpool have previously encountered with players like Mark Gonzalez and, more recently, the striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who is now playing for Nottingham Forest.
Following Brexit, a new system known as the Governing Body Endorsement was introduced, with all players from outside the UK, regardless of age, required to meet a strict points criteria that took into account their international experience, club experience and the standard of the league that they were arriving from.
Bringing in young, talented players with an eye toward the future who have not yet accumulated significant experience or who come from a nation that does not have a high GBE points ranking was problematic. While players from Europe who would have immediate first-team aspirations at clubs like Liverpool have easily reached the 15 points required to qualify for a GBE. Players with fewer than 10 points could join a club, but they couldn’t play for it until they reached the required number of points. Awoniyi, who spent time at several clubs before departing the Reds without ever playing, was one of the players that went out on loan to Europe as a result of that.
Liverpool have, along with clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester United, been linked with Gambian Under-20s starlet Adama Bojang. The 19-year-old forward, who starred in his country’s recent run to the knockout stages at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, is available for about €3m (£2.5m) from Steve Biko FC in the Gambia.
Bojang previously would have been unlikely to qualify for a GBE or even an appeal (which can be made between 10 and 14 points), but changes to the GBE requirements approved by the Home Office earlier this month mean that there is now a chance for Liverpool and the like to sign talented players like Bojang, though there are restrictions.
With four open to teams in the top two divisions, English clubs are now entitled to recruit a number of players who do not match the point requirements.
An FA statement read: “While each club will get at least two places for players in the first season, they will receive between zero and four depending on the number of English players playing in future seasons.
“The Premier League and EFL have also committed to work with The FA on improving the pathway for talented English youngsters. This solution supports both England player development and clubs’ access to overseas talent.
“The outcomes of both the changes to the GBE system and improvements to the development pathway will be kept under review, which could mean increasing the number of places allowed per club should both be working successfully.”