Liverpool have already made it clear they will not enter the race to sign Jude Bellingham this summer - and the Reds have now been dealt a blow in their pursuit of alternative target Nicolo Barella.
Anfield has long been tipped as an ideal destination for Bellingham, who has emerged as one of Europe’s most sought after players after his move to Borussia Dortmund three years ago. Liverpool ’s ageing midfield is in desperate need of fresh legs this summer and Bellingham ticks every box given he has proved himself on the biggest stages and counts as homegrown in a Premier League squad.
But the sticking point is finances, with reports claiming Dortmund will ask for more than £130million for the England teenager this summer. Jurgen Klopp has already acknowledged as much, admitting Liverpool’s financial pulling power isn’t the same as other elite clubs.
Talk around Bellingham has become a regular theme at press conferences and Klopp remarked earlier this month: “There's nothing to say about it [Bellingham], to be honest. It is not about Jude Bellingham, but I never understand why we talk about things we theoretically cannot have. We cannot have six players in a summer, everyone for £100 million. That is clear.
“We are not children. Ask a five-year-old what they want for Christmas and they say a Ferrari, you wouldn't say that's a good idea, it's too expensive and you cannot drive it.”
Liverpool plan to sign two - or even three - new midfielders this summer, meaning other targets need to be in place. One of those is reported to be Barella, the Inter Milan star who was part of Italy's Euro 2020 winning side two years ago.
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Aged 26, Barella is coming into the prime of his career and could be a key player in the heart of Liverpool’s side for years to come. New faces are needed in the position with Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner out of contract while Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are both 32.
Barella has impressed for Inter this season despite their shaky domestic form under the tutelage of Simone Inzaghi. They sit sixth in Serie A, 24 points behind runaway leaders Napoli.
But Barella has helped inspire cup success, scoring in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Benfica to send Inter into their first semi-final for 13 years. He also set up the winning goal in Inter’s Coppa Italia semi-final second leg win over Juventus on Wednesday, with a double still on for the San Siro side.
The former Cagliari man has a combined 11 goals and assists in the league despite Inter’s struggles and as such will be hoping to be named in the Serie A Team of the Year for a fifth season in a row. Barella, who has 43 caps for Italy, was nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 2021 after Inter’s Serie A title win.
Champions League football is not a guarantee for the Milan side next term and qualification is also a concern for Liverpool, who are sixth in the Premier League table. According to Sport Mediaset, Barella would cost around £75m - just over half of a potential Bellingham transfer fee - but he is not keen on a move to Anfield.
The report states signing for the Reds does ‘not appeal’ to the midfielder, who has ‘no intention’ of leaving Inter in the next transfer window. Liverpool will need to look elsewhere and have been linked with Chelsea ’s Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City and Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch.
