Liverpool are reportedly willing to pay big money to sign Internazionale's Nicolo Barella this summer and his club are seriously worried about losing their superstar midfielder.

Which midfielders are Liverpool linked with?

The Reds really struggled in the middle of the park throughout last season, with far too many players either below their best or unavailable because of injury, whether it be Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago, Curtis Jones, Naby Keita or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

It is essential that major additions are made in that area ahead of next season, and with Alexis Mac Allister already brought in from Brighton, the early signs are certainly promising.

The likes of Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone and Romeo Lavia have all been linked with moves to Liverpool, and Barella is another whose name has been thrown into the mix in recent months. Now, a new update further suggests that the £154,000-a-week Italian could be a genuine target for the Reds this summer.

Are Liverpool signing Barella?

According to Il Tempo [Paisley Gates], Liverpool are willing to pay as much as £68.7m to sign Barella in the coming weeks, seeing him as a great option to bring in and bolster their midfield. It is reported that Premier League clubs are believed to be keen on continuing their "looting of Serie A", which is where the Reds' interest in the Inter star is mentioned.

Manager Simone Inzaghi is believed to be "trembling" at the thought of losing one of his most prized assets, with Liverpool happy to go big on Barella, spending the same amount as Newcastle are on Sandro Tonali in the process.

Barella could arguably be about the perfect midfield signing for Liverpool this summer, possessing all the attributes that Jurgen Klopp loves in his players. He is supremely gifted technically, registering six goals and assists apiece in Serie A last season, but he is also hard-working, averaging 1.9 tackles per game in the Champions League in 2022/23, as Inter reached the final.

At 26, he is a player at the peak of his powers, and should be for the foreseeable future, and Liverpool snapping him up and slotting him into one of the No.8 roles would be ideal.

Former Reds striker Peter Crouch recently said the Italy star has "got great feet, (is) tenacious as well and is decent in the tackle", while Klopp himself is clearly a big fan after he called the midfielder "top class".