OPINION
Liverpool should heed talkSPORT’s suggestion to check out Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella while he is in action at UEFA’s U-21 European Championship, as he would be a shrewd signing to make.
The broadcaster recommended a player for every Premier League team to check out at the international tournament and when it came to the Reds, they believed Barella was who they should have their eyes on.
“Previously likened to Steven Gerrard, Barella might be a smart addition for Jurgen Klopp,” wrote talkSPORT.
“Able to play in several roles in central midfield, the 22-year-old has progressed well with Cagliari and is now ready for a step up.
“He wouldn’t get starts upon signing for the Reds but could fulfil his potential at Anfield as a versatile No.8 who is comfortable receiving the ball deep, out wide, or in between the lines.”
While talkSPORT acknowledges that Barella wouldn’t walk into the Reds’ current team, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to in the near future.
The 22-year-old showed his versatility by featuring as a central midfielder, attacker midfielder and on the left wing for Cagliari across the 38 outings he made in his 2018/19 campaign, and it’s safe to say as a result he’d add useful depth to Jurgen Klopp’s squad.
Also given that he is only 22-years-old, he has the potential to get better and work his way into the first-team.
Barella impressed during his 38 outings for Cagliari, as he scored once while assisting four and that saw him end with an average match rating of 6.83 (Source: Who Scored), which isn’t too shabby considering his team had a difficult campaign as they ended up finishing 15th in Serie A.
The 22-year-old would also be a good player to add to Klopp’s midfield as he is effective in an attacking sense as well as a defensive one.
Barella constantly put in tackles in his latest season, he averaged 2.8 per game in his league outings, and yet still got himself in good enough positions to fire shots at goal as he racked up on average 1.5 shots per match. (Source: Who Scored)
Also, it’s worth noting that the Daily Express reported last summer that Jurgen Klopp was confident of signing Barella, showing the Reds’ interest, and that the player was open to moving to the Premier League.
So when you consider that, Liverpool should listen to talkSPORT on this occasion, as while Barella may not be the game-changing signing some fans dream of, he’d be a shrewd acquisition as he could prove to be useful.
