Chelsea – The ‘Likeliest’ Premier League Suitor For Inter’s Nicolo Barella? | OneFootball

Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella’s performances have undoubtedly helped his side, in their climb back to the upper echelons of Serie A after years of underachievement.

Yet, the January transfer window saw a number of rumours linking Barella to the Premier League.

It is already known that Barella admires the English top flight, leading us to analyse how likely any move in the near future could be.

Only the biggest names can flourish at Inter, and Barella has defied his tender years with some inspired performances over the past 18 months.

More Premier League Links Inevitable In Summer

An Inter league title would give Antonio Conte the obvious perfect weapon to stave off any approaches for Barella from the Premier League’s heavyweights.

While Barella is very unlikely to leave simply because of a lost title race, a top-four finish is absolutely paramount towards keeping him – and several others – focused on their Inter futures.

Indeed, the pressure is starting to mount in all of Europe’s top leagues. Spring is just around the corner, meaning that the outright odds for notable sports tournaments across the continent now feel more defining than ever.

In turn, those that entered February sitting just behind Manchester City are feeling this more than ever, with Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool all identified as potential suitors for Barella.

Liverpool

The lack of an A-list defence at Liverpool has disrupted the chemistry once boasted by the Reds’ midfield core, but that will become much less of an issue in the coming months, especially when star defender Virgil Van Dijk returns.

The work-rate required by Liverpool’s central midfield has never been anything short of superlative under Jürgen Klopp, and while Barella is no stranger to high-intensity contests, the time he would get on the ball in the Premier League is slim compared to Serie A.

Unsurprisingly for a title-winning engine, the existing Liverpool midfield trio is also a hard one to disrupt for a newcomer in any case, making the possibility of a move within the next couple of years seem remote.

Liverpool Move Likelihood: 1/5

Liverpool waltzed to the 2019/20 Premier League title, with the midfield’s dynamic nature playing a crucial role.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham (the ‘Spurs’) are still in the process of finding a midfield that can go on a meaningful run of positive consistency.

That may happen without Barella in any case, and it is clear to see that Inter’s chance of entering the Champions League in 2021/22 appear far greater than that of Spurs.

Given the recent appraisal of Barella’s true value, only a Champions League club could afford him now.

Yet, the opportunity for Barella to work alongside José Mourinho – the mastermind behind Inter’s glorious treble of 2009/10, should not be underestimated as a pull factor – with or without Spurs being present in the Champions League.

Tottenham Move Likelihood: 2/5

Chelsea

Frank Lampard was sensationally replaced by Thomas Tuchel last month, with Tuchel taking to the Chelsea hotseat just two days after Lampard’s sacking.

A change in style was evident from the start, as Tuchel’s debut game vs Wolves saw Chelsea return 78.9% possession and completed 820 passes in midweek.

Those were both highs for a debuting Chelsea manager under Roman Abramovich’s 18-year ownership of the club.

With Barella’s reputation for astute positioning and control in tight spaces, and Chelsea’s focus on prodigious young talents still unchanged, this seems like Barella’s most viable route to England, should it ever materialise.

The fact that Conte once romped to a 93-point title win as Chelsea manager sets an additional narrative and a further degree of intrigue.

Chelsea Move Likelihood: 2.5/5

2010 remains the last time Inter brought the Scudetto home to the San Siro.

The Pressure Is On

The stakes are higher than ever, especially with Inter now carrying the psychological baggage of losing to Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi-final.

However, there can be no complaints about league form in early 2021, with the ‘Nerazzurri’ going into the weekend of their clash with Lazio as the division‘s best attacking side, with 2.43 goals per game.

Inter had also failed to score multiple goals just once across their previous nine league fixtures by the same point.

Only the biggest sceptic would say that there is no meaningful correlation between this upturn in fortunes and the arrival of Barella, who may soon find himself with conflicting choices.