Carragher mesmerised by £61.5m Liverpool target Klopp is determined to pluck from Man Utd grasp
An Italy international wanted by both Liverpool and Man Utd has been labelled “one of the best in Europe” by Jamie Carragher who detailed why he’d be perfect for Jurgen Klopp’s midfield.
Liverpool are poised to embark on something of a midfield overhaul this summer. Arthur Melo will return to Juventus once his loan concludes, while Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave on frees.
Multiple new additions will be required and if Liverpool are to re-establish themselves as genuine contenders for top honours, the new faces must be of the highest standard.
Jude Bellingham undoubtedly fits that billing, though so too does Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, according to Carragher.
The 26-year-old Italy international has been the subject of a ramped up scouting mission by Liverpool in 2023.
Gazzetta dello Sport reported Barella has been closely observed by Liverpool’s scout for the region, Paul Goldrick. Goldrick is responsible for sizing up talent from Italy, Switzerland, Serbia and Croatia.
However, Barella has also more recently come under the watchful eye of chief scout Barry Hunter. Clearly, he’s a player the Reds are taking a significant interest in.
Inter are known to be in need of raising around €60m in the first month of the summer window to help balance the books. While they’d naturally be reluctant to lose a player of Barella’s class, his high value would allow them to eradicate their financial worries in one fell swoop.
Klopp is understood to be hell-bent on landing Barella who would slot straight into the right-sided position in the midfield three.
However, Football Insider recently reported Man Utd too like what they’ve seen and Erik ten Hag has ordered the Red Devils to make a move.
Depending on who you believe, Barella is valued anywhere between €70m-€100m. The bottom end of that valuation equates to £61.5m at current exchange rate.
Now, speaking in the aftermath of Inter’s progression to the Champions League quarter finals, Reds legend Carragher waxed lyrical about Barella.
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Barella floors Carragher
Carragher was working as a pundit for CBS Sports at the time and what he saw prompted him to label Barella “one of the best in Europe”.
“When you think about how teams set up now, you see Inter play with a back three with five in midfield, or a 4-3-3, and I think he’s probably one of the best in Europe playing in that tucked in, right sided central midfield position,” said Carragher (via Rousing The Kop).
“He’s box to box, he gets goals from there. We saw how outstanding he was for his national team in winning the European Championships.
“He’s that player who can open things up, he gets in there, but that inside right position now is so important in football and can you make runs from that position? He makes runs ahead of the striker. And he’s a huge goal threat.
“Any top team needs to have goals from midfield. It’ll be really interesting if he actually stays at Inter but you think one day would he go the Premier League or one of the Spanish giants because I certainly think he has the ability to do so.”
Gazzetta dello Sport aren’t the only Italian outlet linking Liverpool to Barella.
Corriere dello Sport added fuel to the fire earlier in March, and also detailed a potential Barella replacement Inter are already lining up.
Barella has bagged six goals and eight assists for Inter this season and has been named in the Serie A Team of the Year in four years straight.
