Jamie Carragher wowed by 'outstanding' midfielder who Liverpool reportedly want to sign this summer
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher was left stunned by Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella's outstanding qualities which were on display when the Italian giants locked horns with FC Porto in the Champions League yesterday (March 14).
Barella put in a solid display in the center as the Nerazzurri played out a goalless draw and sealed their passage into the next round courtesy of a 1-0 triumph on aggregate.
Barella, 26, was included in Inter Milan's starting line-up for the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 clashes yesterday. He played 80 minutes of the encounter, recording 40 touches, two tackles, and one clearance to his name, as per Sofascore.
🥉| Liverpool want to sign Nicolo Barella in the summer, with Inter's need for money meaning they would be likely to sanction a move should an offer of more than £60m arrive for the midfielder. [@FcInterNewsit] https://t.co/GUQ2XPAEpZ
Jamie Carragher, who was speaking on CBS Sports while covering the match, couldn't help but shower the Liverpool target with praise. The Englishman said:
“When you think about how teams set up now, you see Inter play with a back three with five in midfield, or a 4-3-3, and I think he’s probably one of the best in Europe playing in that tucked in, right sided central midfield position."
He added:
"He’s box to box, he gets goals from there. We saw how outstanding he was for his national team in winning the European Championships. He’s that player who can open things up, he gets in there, but that inside right position now is so important in football and can you make runs from that position? He makes runs ahead of the striker. And he’s a huge goal threat."
Nicolo Barella could give Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp exactly what he needs
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Nicolo Barella is currently one of Liverpool's top targets to strengthen their options in the middle of the park. The Italian continues to draw the attention of several clubs with his brilliant performances. This season, he's made 34 appearances for Inter Milan across all competitions, recording six goals and eight assists
Jamie Carragher doubts Inter Milan can keep Nicolo Barella amid Liverpool interest
With increasing interest from Liverpool and a host of other clubs across Europe, Jamie Carragher doesn't think Inter Milan can keep hold of Nicolo Barella. The Englishman believes that the midfielder could end up plying his trade in the Premier League or get snatched by one of La Liga's heavyweights.
“Any top team needs to have goals from midfield," he said. "It’ll be really interesting if he actually stays at Inter but you think one day would he go the Premier League or one of the Spanish giants because I certainly think he has the ability to do so.”
Barella currently has a contract with the Nerazzurri until the summer of 2026. It remains to be seen what the future has in store for the midfielder.