Newcastle United have been strongly linked with Nicolo Barella this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player.
What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Nicolo Barella?
The Independent's chief football writer Miguel Delaney reported that Newcastle have been in ongoing negotiations to sign the Inter Milan midfielder this summer.
As per an article written for the publication, Delaney revealed that the Magpies are currently £30m off the Italian club's valuation of £80m and will need to compete with Liverpool who are also keen to secure a deal for the talented Serie A star this summer.
That said, any deal could now be off the cards with the Toon turning their attention to Sandro Tonali, who they are believed to be close to signing.
Would Barella be a good fit for Newcastle?
There is no doubt that Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the rapid progress and development his team has made over the last 18 months, however, with Champions League football secured it will be important to bolster key positions and add quality depth in the squad.
As a result, the signing of not just Tonali, but also Barella would be an ambitious move for the club in their pursuit to compete at the highest level both domestically and in Europe next season and his presence in the team could have a positive impact on his fellow midfielders at St James' Park.
The 26-year-old would offer an incredible wealth of experience in European football to Howe next season, with 34 appearances, five goals and two assists in both the Europa League and Champions League over his career so far and most recently reached the final in Istanbul against Manchester City earlier this month.
Barella – hailed a "monster" by writer Carlo Garganese – ranks in the top 19% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for progressive passes, progressive carries, shot-creating actions and non-penalty goals, making him the perfect profile of player to link up with Joelinton.
The Brazilian ace was a revelation in both his midfield role and on the left-flank last term – scoring six goals, registering one assist and creating four big chances, so by combining his keen eye for attacking opportunities with Barella's ability to progress the ball into dangerous areas of the pitch, it could make Joelinton unplayable next season.
With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for the club's hierarchy to sanction the move for the Inter sensation this summer as his Champions League experience and clear talent in midfield could put Newcastle in a great position to compete more than comfortably throughout 2022/23.