La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella will renew his contract with the Nerazzurri, turning down an offer from Manchester City. The 27-year-old has been the subject of interest from both sides of Manchester, but the latest reports from Italy suggest he only has one plan for his immediate future.
Gazzetta report that Inter president Steven Zhang must decide when to kick off negotiations. However, the renewal has been set between Inter and the player’s agent, Alessandro Beltrami. Two meetings have already taken place, the first in Lisbon and the latest in Riyadh during the Super Cup days. Another summit between the parties is scheduled in Madrid. However, the bulk of the work is done; there is no distance between the parties regarding willingness, figures, or agreement modalities.
The Concept
The most intriguing aspect of the renewal is the proposed terms, which technically will come into effect from July 1st, but details will be finalized much earlier. Inter is considering, for both Barella and Lautaro Martinez, the idea of involving players in the revenues generated by the club’s international journey. In essence, the more Inter earns from their Champions League campaign or future Club World Cup, the more players will see their wages increase. It’s an innovative idea. Essentially, players won’t receive the traditional prize for winning a trophy but will have a performance bonus based on the club’s earnings included in their contract.
Top Italian
Barella already has an agreement until 2026, which guarantees him an average salary – varying from season to season – of €6 million per year. He is already at the top in terms of salary within Inter’s squad. It’s difficult to imagine that the fixed base of the future agreement will change much. Hence, Barella and Inter are primarily negotiating the variable part of the contract, which is also convenient for the club in terms of financial fair play. In essence, Barella will earn €7 million per season with the new agreement, thanks to the inclusion of easily achievable bonuses, some almost automatic and tied to very minimal targets. Additionally, there will be the aforementioned bonuses. In essence, Barella is set to become the highest-paid Italian player in Serie A and the second-highest earner at Inter behind Lautaro: for the Argentine, the days in Madrid will also be crucial, as during those days, Inter’s sporting director Piero Ausilio will meet with Toro’s agent, Alejandro Camano.
Rejecting City
For both players, this is a life choice. Because Lautaro has not lacked economic and sporting offers to leave. The same can be said for Barella. Regarding the latter, an anecdote must be told. At the end of August, in the last week of the transfer window, an official inquiry arrived from Manchester City at Viale della Liberazione. The English club had recently abandoned the Paqueta track and decided to knock first on Inter’s door and then on Barella’s. However, neither the club nor the player entertained the idea, to the extent that negotiations never even began. But that refusal, that lack of interest in exploring the matter, is indicative of a player who has very clear ideas about his future. Of course, the paths of the transfer market are always endless, and it is good never to have absolute certainties. However, it can certainly be said that staying at Inter today is not a constraint for anyone. As Marotta says, “We have become an appealing club again; today, players want to come to us.”
