Liverpool are currently in second place in the Premier League having topped their Europa League group and advanced to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, of which they are ostensible favourites in both cup competitions.
Table-toppers Arsenal are imminently making the trip to Merseyside to face Jurgen Klopp's side in a pivotal league clash, which will determine whether the Reds spend Christmas Day in pole position.
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ByDan EmeryDec 22, 2023
All this paints a brilliant picture of promise, but further work is needed to ensure that Liverpool succeed in their ambitious endeavours.
The midfield welcomed four new additions in the summer to combat the mass exodus after a dismal year, and now, reports from the continent suggest that Klopp is eager to add another to the engine room…
Liverpool transfer news – Nicolo Barella
According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are among the English clubs to be in contention to sign Inter Milan maestro Nicolo Barella, with Arsenal and Newcastle United also registering an interest.
In June, reliable reports surfaced that Newcastle were closing in on a sensational £50m deal for the Italian, though ultimately his Serie A outfit refused to advance negotiations to the conclusive stage.
Barella – who could command a fee of around £70m-£80m – is contracted to the San Siro until 2026 and has proved his worth as one of Europe's elite midfielders over the past several seasons, but is he the signing that the Reds need?
Nicolo Barella's style of play
Barella is a midfielder of supreme technicality, first-class ball-playing ability and an all-action approach that has led sports editor Mike Piellucci to describe him as a "genius" for his work.
As per FBref, the £153k-per-week machine ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90.
#
Player
Club
1
Martin Odegaard
Arsenal
2
Ilkay Gundogan
Barcelona
3
Granit Xhaka
Bayer Leverkusen
4
Florian Wirtz
Bayer Leverkusen
5
Thomas Muller
Bayern Munich
*Sourced via Football Transfers
Likened to many of Europe's most guileful and inventive midfielders, Barella was "appreciated" by Liverpool in the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, but no deal materialised as Klopp moved for other options.
It's clear to see why; having chalked up 210 appearances for the Nerazzurri, posting 21 goals and 47 assists and proving instrumental in the winning of the Serie A and two Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana apiece, Barella has been nothing short of an "unbelievable" member of the squad over the past several years, as was noted by one podcast host.
But, crucially, he's not a defensive midfielder, instead finding success as a midfield operator in and around half-spaces, pushing forward with creative intent and contributing effectively in recycling possession.
Understandably, Klopp appreciates his talents, but Barella is not the answer to Liverpool's midfield questions, and signing him would only have a negative effect on Harvey Elliott.
How Nicolo Barella compares to Harvey Elliott
Having played 46 times across all competitions last year, Elliott has established himself as one of the brightest starlets in the Premier League, and despite multiple midfield signings in the summer, remains a coveted asset of Klopp's team.
This season, the "incredible" prospect – as stated by Paul Dalglish – has started all nine of Liverpool's cup fixtures, though only has one Premier League start to his name and has recently admitted that he is disgruntled by a lack of match action in the English top-flight.
Elliott, aged 20, offers many of the tools that Barella brings to the table and is contributing effectively for Klopp's side; frankly, he is a frightening talent and signing the Inter player would not bode well for him.
Metric
Per 90
Rank
Shot-creating actions
3.54
7th
Prog. passes
7.71
2nd
Prog. carries
3.54
2nd
Shots taken
3.28
3rd
*Sourced via FBref
It's worth noting that several players have been excluded from several columns due to scant match action, thus bloating their metrics; Elliott's rankings are collated with those having played more than 180 minutes of football across all competitions.
To emphasise how effective this young star is, he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for progressive passes, the top 4% for progressive carries, the top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 17% for blocks per 90.
Given the overload of creative and multi-functional midfielders in Liverpool's squad, it's hard to conclude that signing a player such as Barella – who, granted, is fantastic and would be a credit to the Merseyside outfit – would be the best move to continue the resurgence.
It's a bit like saying Thibaut Courtois is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and thus Liverpool must target his signature: with Alisson Becker between the sticks, such an acquisition would be met with incredulity.
Thiago Alcantara is plagued by injury problems and is out of contract at the end of the campaign, while Mac Allister has proved his worth in the deep-lying role and Wataru Endo, aged 30, improves with each passing fixture. All this being said, a specialist No. 6 is a prerequisite for lasting success at the peak of the European pyramid.
When partnering Liverpool's need for a natural Fabinho replacement – the Brazilian was sold to Al-Ittihad in the summer after declining – with the ongoing requirement for defensive reinforcements, exacerbated by Joel Matip's season-ending ACL injury, Barella is just not the answer.
Such a transfer could force Ryan Gravenberch into a deeper role, which is clearly not his best position, while precluding Elliott's chances of cementing a starting berth with regularity.
Intangibles such as confidence and guile form the base of Elliott's creative repertoire, and at a time when he is on the cusp of a level-up, it would be ludicrous to sign a player that would inhibit his prospects of success.
