Manchester United
Premier League • England
Man Utd prepare luxurious offer for UCL midfield dynamo to follow Mount in stunning double upgrade
Man Utd are ready to launch an astonishing bid to sign Nicolo Barella from Inter, a report has claimed, despite a deal to take Mason Mount from Chelsea also being close.
Barella was recently the subject of strong interest from Newcastle, who ultimately were unwilling to meet Inter’s valuation of the player. However, the Champions League runners up might still be bracing themselves for interest in him from elsewhere.
According to FC Inter News, Man Utd will submit their own mega offer for Barella in the coming days. They will have to put more than €70m on the table, bearing in mind Newcastle’s offer of that value was rejected.
In theory, Inter could be holding out for a fee of up to €100m, it is claimed. They are using West Ham’s valuation of Arsenal and Man City target Declan Rice as a comparison.
But Man Utd have made their intentions clear and could be ready to make their move for Barella. His agent is aware of their interest, as are his current employers.
Inter still have Barella under contract until 2026. Coincidentally, Man Utd have also recently been suggested as suitors for his teammate Federico Dimarco, who plays at left-back.
Barella would be the more eye-catching signing, though. In order to bring him to the Premier League in their colours, Man Utd would have to beat competition from Arsenal.
The report has suggested Arsenal are also willing to make a bid for Barella. Although Rice is their top target, the Gunners might need another new midfielder if they offload Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.
By joining either Man Utd or Arsenal, Barella would be able to continue playing in the Champions League, just as he would by staying at Inter.
Man Utd making progress on Mount before Barella
If Man Utd do make a move for him, it would be quite the statement of intent, given they are also growing confident of buying Mount from Chelsea.
According to the latest from the Daily Mirror, Man Utd and Chelsea have found a compromise about Mount’s fee, which will be at the £60m mark.
It is exactly in between the value of Man Utd’s first bid – £50m – and Chelsea’s ideal asking price of £70m.
Mount pushed for the move by telling Chelsea he wouldn’t renew his contract there, which only has a year left to run. Therefore, the Blues are having to cash in.
Erik ten Hag now believes he will have Mount at his disposal by the time Man Utd jet off for their pre-season schedule.
The Chelsea academy graduate will be following N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic out of the Cobham exit door after his fellow midfielders’ moves to Al Ittihad and Manchester City respectively.
In Mount’s case, a move to Man Utd is the preferred option. If Barella ends up at Old Trafford too, Ten Hag’s midfield will have been seriously reinforced.
They had Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich for the second half of the season and could also send Scott McTominay packing this summer. Mount and Barella would be feasible upgrades on the discarded pair.
As things stand, there should be much more confidence about the Mount deal before any excitement about Barella too. But if the report from FC Inter News is accurate, it might not be long before the second pursuit ramps up.
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