Barella is wanted by Liverpool and Tottenham: Where do Inter stand on his potential departure?

It's been quite the year already for Nicolo Barella. Having helped Inter to their first Serie A title in over a decade, the Sardinian then went on to play a vital role for Italy as they won their second ever European Championship and first trophy since the 2006 World Cup.

Now, rather expectedly, the all-action midfielder is attracting attention from across Europe, most notably from Premier League sides Liverpool and Tottenham.

A rock and roll player

Jurgen Klopp's words that he prefers his teams to play a "rock and roll" style of football have hung over him as much as Jose Mourinho's "I am a special one" remarks when he first arrived at Chelsea, but Barella is a player that would fit in nicely under the German at Anfield.

Check out the latest results at euro sure bets

Since his early days at Cagliari, Barella caught the eye for being box-to-box, aggressive and utterly tireless on the pitch, making him a nightmare to play against but a dream to have in your team. Although their styles aren't really comparable, his relentless engine could be comparable with N'Golo Kante.

Having calmed his temperament considerably under Antonio Conte and finding the best form of his career so far, he'll likely have to readjust somewhat under Simone Inzaghi, who never had a player like Barella in his Lazio side. With Klopp, though, he'd slot seamlessly into the Liverpool XI and take them to another level.

Will Inter sell?

There has been talk of possible bids landing for between 60 and 70 million euros, with Liverpool and Fabio Paratici at Tottenham leading the way in pursuit of Barella.

Inter's need to sell before the transfer window was apparent, but they've since lost Achraf Hakimi to Paris Saint-Germain, and have cut Conte's salary from their expenses as well after he walked away at the end of the 2020/21 season, so their need to bring money in is less urgent than it was a couple of months ago.

As far as Barella is concerned, the Nerazzurri don't want to lose him at any cost. La Republic have reported that Giuseppe Marotta is already in contact with his agent to discuss a renewed contract, and some parts of the Italian press have said that he could be set to see his salary increase from 2.6 million euros per year to four million euros annually.

Beyond financial gain, Inter see Barella as a future captain, and he is someone they want to lead their project for years to come.

Pick up the latest car results at soccer tips every day