Into the last four of the Carabao Cup after a 5-1 thumping of West Ham United at Anfield and second in the Premier League with the chance to go top with victory over Arsenal up next, it’s fair to say that Liverpool have so far bounced back from last season’s disaster in style. The Reds look far closer to their ruthless best under Jurgen Klopp and are vying for silverware once more at Anfield.
What has helped contribute towards their return to the Premier League title race is their recruitment. Those in Merseyside did well in the summer to rebuild Klopp’s midfield and have reaped the rewards ever since. Now, Liverpool could repeat that transfer trick to add the cherry on top of what has been an excellent rebuild.
Liverpool transfer news
Swapping the likes of Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Fabinho for Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo was a stroke of genius by Liverpool’s recruitment team, who wasted no time before making some drastic changes in the summer.
This followed the first time that Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League in a full season under Klopp, highlighting just how desperately needed some changes were. And more could be on their way, with one particular Serie A star reportedly eyed.
According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are eyeing a move to sign Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, who is in the middle of contract negotiations with the Italian giants.
So far, the contract talks are yielding minimal progress, and with the door still ajar, the Reds and Newcastle United are circling. Barella’s current contract comes to an end in 2026, and while that hasn’t stopped Inter from beginning early attempts to secure his future at the San Siro, they may be forced to cash in at some point if he does not pen an extension.
“Creative” Barella can complete Liverpool
As much as Liverpool did well in the summer to rebuild their midfield, adding Barella would finally complete the job once and for all. The Italian has the ability to play as a central, attacking and defensive midfielder, and could act as the perfect foil for Mac Allister in the middle of the park. Indeed, Barella’s stats show that he’s more than capable of outperforming both Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch.
Player | Progressive Carries | Progressive Passes | Tackles Won | Blocks |
Nicolo Barella | 31 | 136 | 12 | 9 |
Curtis Jones | 5 | 25 | 5 | 7 |
Ryan Gravenberch | 21 | 38 | 4 | 7 |
When linked with a move to Liverpool, praise from Steven Gerrard doesn’t get much better. The Reds legend had nothing but good things to say about Barella, saying back in May: “He’s creative, he can nick important goals. I watched him against England in Naples and he was involved in all parts of the game. He did really well against the England midfield – Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice. He’s at a good age as well, coming into his prime.”
That said, given the rumours, it will be interesting to see whether Liverpool decide to act when the January transfer swings open or Barella decides to stay put in Serie A.
