"Could pack his bags": Club ready to sell midfielder to Liverpool if they offer over £68.5m

Liverpool are investigating the possibility of signing Italian midfielder Nicolo Barella this summer as Jurgen Klopp continues his midfield rebuild.

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi needs a two new goalkeepers two replace André Onana and Samir Handanović and are close to completing a midfield signing in the shape of 26-year-old Lazar Samardžić.

This transfer could make way for Liverpool to sign Barella and would certainly represent the perfect finishing touch to Jurgen Klopp's new look midfield assuming a deal is also completed for Romeo Lavia.

What's the latest Nicolo Barella Liverpool transfer news?

A deal to sign Samardžić would cost Inter around €15 million (£12.8m) and after a report on Monday from Italian publication Calciomercato.it, Barella would no longer be consider "non-transferable".

This is an exciting development for Liverpool if true and reportedly, the Reds and Manchester City are both interested by the situation with Jurgen Klopp a "great admirer" of the Italian.

The boss has spoken at length about Barella in the past and has never refrained from showing his appreciation for his ability on the ball, his work ethic and his stamina.

Klopp said: "He's a really good player and I like him a lot. He has all the things that you want from a midfield player; he's aggressive, he's technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things.

"He's a top-class player."

Barella is one of the best midfielders in the world and that's obvious just from watching him play. However, the stats confirm this assessment, outranking some of the best midfielders in the world.

He scored 9 goals and got 10 assists last season, as per Transfermarkt, which is more than Liverpool's midfielders managed collectively.

How much would Barella cost?

Calciomercato report that Barella "could pack his bags" if Liverpool or any other suitor submits an offer of more than €80 million (£68.5m).

Inter have a couple options should the 26-year-old depart the San Siro. They can either sign another midfielder or recall Stefano Sensi from his loan with Monza.

Liverpool would be signing a gem in Barella

Data from Fbrefs - a site that collates data on the more nitty gritty stats - shows that Barella would thrive in Liverpool's midfield. Klopp's tactics are bolstered when his players find themselves in pockets of space between the lines in midfield, where receiving the ball with grace before moving it on quickly is the priority.

Per 90 minutes, Barella receives 4.92 progressive passes - a stat only 8% of midfielders can better. This speaks to his ability to increase Liverpool's ability to retain possession either after a turnover or in transition.

This is why Liverpool have often opted to use a false nine. Whether it's Roberto Firmino or Cody Gakpo, this role offers so many benefits but it's undermined when midfielders are unable to display similar levels of composure and technical elegance.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have already showcased their abilities in pre-season and while it's premature to declare they will be a major success in the Premier League for Liverpool, they have all the tools necessary.

Barella is a player who can receive the ball under pressure in all most any situation and leave you feeling confident that not only will he keep the ball, he will likely also do something valuable with it as well.