Exclusive: Inter beat Napoli and Chelsea to signing of Barella, agreement imminent
- Alessandro Di Gioia
The Cagliari starlet has been linked with Napoli and Chelsea but the Nerazzurri are now close to reaching an agreement with Cagliari.
Barella, who will turn 22 on the 7th of February, has already given his green light to move to Inter. The two clubs are in talks to finalize the deal but there are just a few details left before completing the deal.
Inter will pay a fee close to € 40 million plus € 10 million in bonuses. Napoli and Chelsea have been overtaken. The deal will be completed in the coming days but Barella will join Inter from next summer. The fee could be lowered if the Nerazzurri include one or two youngsters in the deal.
Cagliari have already found a replacement for Barella: Boca Juniors’ Nahitan Nandez. The price-tag of the Uruguayan midfielder is close to € 15 million and talks with the player’s agent Bentancur have already begun. Marotta, Ausilio and Giulini met for lunch yesterday to finalize the deal: Barella is ready to join Inter in June.
Translated and adapted by Lorenzo Bettoni