Liverpool are believed to be interested in signing AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni but will turn their attentions to Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella if unsuccessful in their pursuit of the Frenchman, according to the Express.
It’s been reported by reliable transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano that Tchouameni has told his teammates at the Ligue 1 club that he’s decided to move to Real Madrid, although there has been no official announcement as of yet.
With the club well aware of its ageing midfield department, a signing in the middle of the park is believed to be Jurgen Klopp’s priority this summer, as well as wanting to tie down Naby Keita to a new deal at Anfield.
It would be a blow to lose out on Tchouameni, but Barella is a player that is a previous target of the Reds – in 2017 there were rumours linking the Italian with a move to Merseyside, but no such transfer ever materialised.
He’s now a fully fledged Italy international with 37 caps to his name as well as being a regular starter at Inter, registering three goals and 12 assists under Simone Inzhagi last season as the Nerazzurri finished second in the table, two points behind city rival AC.
Barella missed both legs of Inter’s last-16 Champions League clash with Liverpool last season after receiving a red card in the final group stage match against Real Madrid and his absence in the side was felt.
Although we do now have a talented squad with serious strength in depth, the midfield does appear to be one area that needs strengthening this summer to ensure we remain as competitive as possible.
It will be interesting to see what business Klopp completes in the coming months as he’s enjoyed huge success on the transfer front since arriving on Merseyside in 2015.
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