Inter Milan want £85 million for Nicolo Barella with an offer from Premier League giants Newcastle United reportedly causing ‘uproar’ at the Serie A giants.
Nicolo Barella was far from his best during Italy’s 2-1 UEFA Nations League semi-final defeat to Spain on Thursday night; former Newcastle United striker Joselu scoring the winner at the death to set up a decider with Croatia.
But, then again, perhaps that was to be expected.
Barella, after all, had brought down the curtain on a long and gruelling club campaign with a heart-breaking defeat in the Champions League final just five days earlier after all. With nine goals and ten assists from his box-to-box midfield role, the all-action 26-year-old was a major reason why Inter came within touching distance of Europe’s biggest prize in the first place.
Nicolo Barella may be too expensive for Newcastle
A player with his poise, panache, presence and pressing ability could potentially take an already upwardly-mobile Newcastle side to the next level; Barella combining Joelinton’s indudstry with Bruno Guimaraes’ craft.
The Telegraph reported this week that Newcastle were willing to pay £50 million but it seems Inter – despite those well-publicised Financial Fair Play pressures – have no intention of letting a man once dubbed one of Europe’s best three midfielders by Fabio Capello leave for such a sum.
SportMediaset, va FC Inter News, say that Newcastle’s opening offer ‘caused uproar’ behind the scenes at the San Siro. Such is Barella’s importance to the Nerazzuri, they will not consider letting the 2021 Scudetto winner go for anywhere less than 100 million euros.
Or £85 million, at the current exchange rate.
Per the Daily Mail, that is more than the entirety of Eddie Howe’s summer budget. Or, at least, before potential player sales are factored in. The Magpies boss has been told he has £75 million to spend. And, unless Inter are willing to budget, the smart money is on Barella donning blue-and-black rather than black-and-white in 2023/24.
“Barella is without a shadow of a doubt one of the three best midfielders in European football. Without a shadow of a doubt,” Capello says.
“He has vision, stamina, quality and pace. He does everything right. Achraf Hakimi (right-back) has pace, but the difference is Hakimi gets there and boots it into the box. Barella crosses the ball precisely. That is a very big difference.
“Barella wins back the ball and then passes it to start moves.”
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