Nicolo Barella has shared his views on Manchester City.
The 27-year-old midfielder has emerged as a key target for the Premier League champions as Pep Guardiola seeks to strengthen the squad in the wake of Rodri’s anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained against Arsenal last weekend. According to the Daily Star, Barella is currently at the top of City’s list of potential replacements for the Spanish international ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
The report states that the Internazionale star is considered the “most suitable candidate” to fill the gap in midfield. Guardiola’s interest in the Italian dates back to before Rodri’s injury, which could keep him sidelined for the rest of the season. The Daily Star also notes that it may take at least £75 million to secure Barella from Inter in January.
Although Manchester City is eager to enhance their midfield, Barella recently signed a contract extension with Inter, keeping him at the club until June 2029. In an interview with the club’s official website, he expressed his excitement about the new deal, saying, “I am extremely happy and excited to extend my contract with Inter for so many years. I never had any doubts—I believe in this project and wanted this signature to arrive before the European Championship.”
Barella continued, “I am proud to defend the colors of this great club for a long time. My goal is to continue our path of success with the team and coach, bringing more joy to our fans. We’ve experienced unforgettable moments together, and I am confident more will come.”
The Daily Star reports that Barella caught Guardiola’s attention during Inter’s recent goalless draw with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League. Following the match, he praised City as a “very strong team.”
“This team won the Scudetto last season but didn’t achieve enough in the Champions League, so this year we aim to do better in Europe,” Barella said. “We are growing, gaining experience, which is invaluable. We reached the Final two years ago, and our ambition is to do it again; in football, anything can happen. Today, we showed we can compete at the same level, though ultimately, incidents decide the results.”
As Manchester City wraps up the 2023/24 season with their fourth consecutive Premier League title, they are now focused on the upcoming transfer window after falling short in both the FA Cup final and the Champions League quarter-finals.
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