Antonio Cassano is no stranger to going against the grain.
The former Real Madrid and Roma ace usually makes headlines whenever he opens his mouth and his less-than-flattering assessment of Nicolo Barella, one of the most influential footballers in Serie A, felt more than a little contrarian.
Barella is one of the first names on Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan team-sheet these days.
With Liverpool and Arsenal showing a serious interest in the Italy international (FCInterLive), Calciomercato reports that the 23-year-old dynamo will be offered a new, long-term contract to ward off any potential suitors.
Inter view Barella as ‘unsellable’ and a subsequent wage hike, taking his pay packet from £45,000 to £70,000-a-week, is a fitting reward for a player who has blossomed into Conte’s fearless foot soldier at the San Siro.
Barella may be no midfield specialist but this is a player who can, and frequently does, do everything on a football pitch. He’s not only a fine tackler and a relentless runner but also a brilliant technician capable of producing something out of nothing.
And Cassano appears to be alone in his assessment of a £30 million midfielder who, along with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, has Inter dreaming of a first Serie A title in a decade.
” I don’t like Barella,” the outspoken Cassano, who had a brief spell with the Nerazzuri in 2012/13, told former Italy star Christian Vieri on his YouTube page.
“I am not enthusiastic about Barella – but he always does his job well and is very useful to the team. I would like to see a high quality ‘mezzala’ next to him.”
Barella may be no Wesley Sneijder, but a player renowned for his sweat-shedding hard-running has succeeded in adding a more creative string to his bow of late.
No one in Conte’s squad has set up more goals than him this season (6). Maybe Cassano needs to be reminded of that show-stopping, back-heel assist against Real Madrid in the Champions League?
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