With Mohamed Salah committing to a new contract and Virgil van Dijk expected to follow suit, Liverpool have turned their attention to summer recruitment.
Strengthening the midfield has been a long-standing priority, and the Reds may have found their ideal target — Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella.
According to Caught Offside, Inter value the 28-year-old at £86 million. However, Liverpool are exploring the possibility of reducing the fee through a swap deal, with Darwin Nunez or Federico Chiesa proposed as potential makeweights. Sources suggest the club are “serious” about securing Barella’s signature.
A dynamic, box-to-box midfielder, Barella is renowned for his creativity in tight spaces, relentless work rate, and ability to win back possession.
Having won every major domestic honour with Inter, the Italian international could be tempted by a fresh challenge in the Premier League.
For Liverpool, a swap deal could make financial sense. Both Nunez and Chiesa have underperformed this season, but Chiesa’s proven track record in Serie A could make him especially appealing to Inter.
Even with player exchanges, Liverpool would likely need to add cash to finalise the move — a deal that could see them land one of Europe’s most complete midfielders.