Reported Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur target Nicolo Barella is evolving into Italy’s answer to N’Golo Kante, Premier League legend Jurgen Klinsmann has told Corriere.
Heading into the summer, many suggested the finest midfield in the tournament belonged not to Spain, Germany or even Kante’s France but to an Italy side that, just three years after missing out on the Russia World Cup, are now giving off serious ‘end-of-game boss’ vibes at Euro 2020.
And while the experts aren’t always correct – ‘dark horses’ Turkey looked more like a Shetland pony at the Grand National – they were spot on about Italy and Barella.
The Serie A champion has maintained his outstanding Inter Milan form under Roberto Mancini. Barella is a growling little terrier snapping into tackles, allowing Jorginho and the masterful Manuel Locatelli to dictate the game from deep.
Jorginho described Barella as the Italian equivalent of his Stamford Bridge teammate last week and Klinsmann was left with similar feelings after watching the diminutive destroyer chase a scampering Switzerland across the Stadio Olimpico turf on Wednesday.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham battle for Barella
“He has the same function as Kante – but the Inter player is in the development phase,” says former Spurs hero Klinsmann, suggesting Barella still has a lot to learn but has the potential to match the 2018 World Cup winner.
“The Frenchman already has experience and has won everything.”
In May, Gazzetta dello Sport reported Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and two of Klinsmann’s former clubs – Bayern Munich and Tottenham – were queuing up to sign a player who, according to Fabio Capello, has evolved into one of Europe’s top three central midfielders.
Inter Milan are stuck in a perilous financial position, with player sales seemingly their only route out of the mire.
Rather than cash in on Barella, however, it seems the Scudetto winners are listening to offers for rampaging right-back Achraf Hakimi instead.
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