Newcastle ’cause uproar’ with £50m offer for ‘one of Europe’s best;’ record bid required for Howe target

Inter Milan have reportedly slapped a hefty price tag on Nicolo Barella after rejecting an opening offer of £50m from Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe is keen to add quality players to his squad this summer as he looks to prepare for Champions League football next season.

Barella would be a great signing for Newcastle. But, it now seems they will have to make a monumental offer to convince Inter to sell their star man.

The Toon enjoyed a fantastic 2022/23 campaign. Under the guidance of Howe, they finished in fourth place – their best season since 2003. They also came close to winning the League Cup, losing in the final against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, the Magpies are expected to make several additions ahead of next season. For instance, they have been heavily linked with the likes of Sadio Mane and James Maddison recently.

Clearly, Howe is keen to bring in some big names this summer. So, it will be interesting to see if they submit an improved offer for Barella in the near future.

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Inter Milan ‘uproar’ after Barella bid

As mentioned, Newcastle saw an offer of £50m for Barella rejected by Inter on Wednesday.

Now, according to SportMediaset, (via FC Inter News), Inter have slapped a €100m (approx. £85.3m) price tag on the 26-year-old. He is under contract until 2026, so they are under no immediate pressure to sell.

The report adds that Newcastle’s offer ’caused uproar’ behind the scenes at the San Siro, as they consider him a vital player.

Barella signed for Inter from Cagliari back in 2019. Since, he has made 187 appearances for the Italian club, scoring 20 goals and making 44 assists.

A versatile player, the Italy international has the ability to play as an attacking or defensive midfielder. So, he could provide cover in several positions for Howe next season.

In fact, former England manager Fabio Capello has previously described Barella as “one of the three best midfielders in European football,” so, there is no doubting his quality.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Newcastle respond with an improved offer for Barella.

But, if the recent reports are correct, the Magpies will have to set a new club transfer record – which currently stands at £63m for Alexander Isak – to get a deal over the line this summer.

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