Liverpool make Sandro Tonali gamble with club 'ready to bid £77m' for alternative
Tonali looks set to join Newcastle from Milan.
Rory O'Callaghan
Liverpool have made a promising start to the summer transfer window, signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton, but fans will be hoping for much more from their club in the coming weeks.
Liverpool are badly in need of reinforcements, particularly in midfield, after finishing fifth in the Premier League last season.
There is huge pressure on sporting director Jorg Schmadtke, who began his new role at Anfield on June 1, to deliver.
Liverpool cannot afford another disappointing window, with all their major rivals set to strengthen this summer.
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One club that looks set to busy is Newcastle, who pipped Liverpool to the fourth and final Champions League spot last season.
According to the Chronicle, Newcastle have agreed personal terms with Italy international Sandro Tonali as they look to agreed a deal with AC Milan.
The Athletic have reported that Newcastle bid €50m (£43m) for Tonali on Tuesday, which was swiftly rejected.
But they are believed to have returned with an offer worth €70m (£60.2m) and 'the situation has progressed' after face-to-face talks on Thursday, with a deal close to being agreed.
Tonali, who made 48 appearances in all competitions for Milan last season, now looks likely to move to St James' Park.
The proposed transfer has raised questions over why Liverpool have not attempted to sign the highly-rated Italian, with their midfield department in need of further reinforcements.
A transfer fee of around £60m should be well within Liverpool's transfer budget.
Their lack of interest could be explained by separate reports emerging from Italy, which claim the Merseyside club are plotting a move for one of Tonali's international teammates instead.
Liverpool 'ready to bid' for Barella
Italian journalist Marco Barzaghi claims Liverpool are ready to submit a £77m bid for Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella.
The 26-year-old made 52 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring nine times and providing 10 assists - playing a key role in the Italian club's run to the Champions League final.
He is also an important player for Italy, having scored eight goals in 45 appearances for his national side.
Gazzetta dello Sport claim United have also made an initial approach for the midfielder, with 'phone calls' made from Old Trafford to Inter over a potential deal.
Jurgen Klopp is known to be a fan of Barella, having praised the midfielder after Liverpool’s round of 16 win over Inter in the Champions League in the 2021/22 season.
"He's a really good player, a really good player and I like him a lot," said Klopp.
"He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things.
"That's a top-class player."
Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders is also a huge fan of Barella, naming him as one of the best midfielders in Europe in his 2022 book 'Intensity'.
But Barella is not the only midfielder linked with a move to Anfield, with Liverpool reportedly considering several options including Nice's Khephren Thuram, Borussia Monchengladbach's Manu Kone and Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga.