Arsenal have been linked to Inter maestro Nicolo Barella as the Gunners aim to recruit reinforcements this summer.
Mikel Arteta’s quest to secure the signature of Declan Rice was reported to have taken a turn on Thursday, with journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reporting that Manchester City were ‘getting closer’ to signing the Englishman.
The news has come as a shock for the north Londoners, who have been in pursuit of the West Ham United captain for weeks. However, Arteta could land a strong alternative in the Nerazzurri star.
What’s the latest on Nicolo Barella to Arsenal?
As reported by Italian outlet FC Inter News, Arsenal hold an interest in Inter midfielder Barella, with the report claiming that both Manchester United and the Gunners are eyeing the Serie A ace.
The report claims that Inter are expecting ‘two very important offers’ from Arsenal and United in the ‘coming days’ following the 26-year-old’s decision to reject Newcastle United.
A separate report from CalcioMercatoWeb stated that Inter have priced the Italian at €50m (£44m).
What could Nicolo Barella offer to Arsenal?
The prospect of missing out on Rice at the hands of City would be a tough pill for Arsenal to swallow, though the blow could be significantly softened should the Gunners strike a deal for Barella.
Branded as an “exceptional player” by scout Antonio Mango, the Cagliari-born sensation has lit up the San Siro this past campaign, assisting his side in getting to the Champions League final and a third-placed Serie A finish.
Likened to Arsenal’s very own Martin Odegaard based on his statistics by FBref, the Italian has operated as one of the most impressive box-to-box midfielders in Europe over the past year.
Such praise is supported by his numbers, with Barella contributing six goals and six assists in 34 Serie A appearances from the middle of the park, maintaining an average match rating of 7.08, via Sofascore.
As well as his efforts in the final third, the 26-year-old is defensively competent, as highlighted by him winning 55% of his total duels in the league this term, averaging 4.4 per game.
An area of Rice’s game that attracted Arteta to the 24-year-old appears to have been his progressive play, with the Englishman averaging 6.6 progressive passes and 2.42 progressive carries per 90 over the past year, via FBref.
While the Hammers captain’s numbers are impressive, his efforts are not just matched but slightly improved upon by Barella, who averaged 6.62 progressive passes and 2.8 progressive carries per 90 – showing the player Arteta could recruit in the event of talks over Rice falling through.
Only time will tell how the saga plays out, but the Gunners must recruit sensibly this summer in order to remain tight to champions City, with a defensive midfielder a priority.