Why Liverpool’s pursuit of Italian youngster Nicolo Barella is misguided

Add as preferred source on Google

The Guardian reported on Wednesday that Liverpool were interested in signing Calgliari’s 21-year-old midfielder Nicolo Barella.

Yet Liverpool’s pursuit of the Italy youth international is ultimately misguided, as the Reds must be targeting players of a far higher quality in order to match their trophy-winning ambition.

Barella is undoubtedly highly-rated in Italy, and already has two seasons of consistent first-team Serie A football under his belt. The midfielder enjoyed a breakout season last campaign, notching six goals from midfield while featuring in 34 league matches.

Yet Barella is currently uncapped at national team level and has never played a European match; evidence that the youngster is not quite of the calibre of players Liverpool should be hoping to attract.

The Reds must turn their attention to signings that can boost their short-term hopes in challenging for titles in the immediate future, and unfortunately Barella does not fit that bill.

When the Italian flourishes into a consistent Italian international and can score goals at the European level, then Liverpool should swoop for him— but for now, the 21-year-old is simply too unproven for the Reds to justify a multi-million pound expenditure for him.