Liverpool have long been linked with the transfer of a midfielder from Inter Milan and Italy

Jürgen Klopp has made no secret of his admiration for Nicolo Barella and – in an ideal world – could be the perfect addition to his Liverpool squad.

A box-to-box midfielder with numerous attributes, Barella has long been linked with a move to Anfield as speculation about his future at Inter Milan mounts this summer. That said, there is a complication or two when it comes to a proposed transfer to Liverpool.

After initial plans to target Jude Bellingham were scrapped due to the huge financial cost, price remains an issue.

Even if they decide to capitalize on their star player, Inter would like around £80m for Barella, who still has three years on his contract.

However, reports from Italian publication Il Tempo suggest the figure could actually be closer to €80m (£68m). However, other clubs like Newcastle United are hiding behind his commitment anyway.

Another point to consider is that Liverpool are not securing their place in the Champions League.

However, the Reds still have enormous power and if all goes to plan their ban from Europe’s top competition will only last 12 months if they finish in the top four again next season.

Perhaps the biggest problem comes from the player itself. Inter are said to be ‘open’ to a sale but conflicting reports suggest Barella is ‘happy’ with the San Siro and has no intention of leaving the club.

This is where Klopp and his public admiration could come in. Depending on the financial means, the 26-year-old would obviously be welcomed with open arms at Anfield.

Should he ever land, a dream jersey number awaits – with a little catch. Barella currently wears Inter’s number 23 and has worn it since arriving from Cagliari three summers ago.

Of course, that particular shirt is currently worn by Luis Diaz, but there’s a chance the Colombian will decide to switch to the club’s legendary No.7 after James Milner dropped him when he left. Other team numbers now available include: 8, 9, 12, 15, 16, 24 and 25 – plus other options in the 30s and 40s.

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According to the new UEFA rules, Liverpool will be eligible for the Champions League if they finish fifth.

Due to a significant UEFA rule change, Liverpool can now qualify for the Champions League if they finish fifth the following season.

The Reds finished fifth in the most recent Premier League season, so they will have to make do with Europa League competition in the upcoming season.

Even though Jurgen Klopp’s team went on a fantastic unbeaten streak at the end of the league season, winning seven of their final ten games, it wasn’t enough to pass Manchester United or Newcastle.

Two Premier League teams, United and Newcastle, will participate in the final Champions League in its current format before the competition is redesigned.
The other two Premier League teams are Manchester City and Arsenal.

There won’t be a traditional group stage for the 2024–2025 season as the number of participating teams increases from 32 to 36.

Instead, the clubs will compete in a single league phase, in which they will face eight opponents in four home games and four away games.

The top eight teams will then advance to the round of 16, and the teams that place ninth through sixteenth will compete in a play-off round. There won’t be any changes to the remaining knockout round.

Additionally, Liverpool and other Premier League teams may experience significant effects from the new format.

Why a UEFA rule change might have an impact on Liverpool and other Premier League clubs.

UEFA will change the rules to provide new opportunities for qualifying so that there will be four extra teams in the 2024–25 season.

The two European countries with the best results from the previous campaign will automatically qualify.

English clubs should take note of this because, depending on how well England and Italy perform in 2022–2023, they will each receive an additional Champions League qualification spot.

While West Ham defeated Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final, Manchester City defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League final. Roma, meanwhile, advanced to the Europa League final but fell to Sevilla of Spain.

Since English clubs have recently dominated European football, Klopp’s team would be able to finish fifth next season and still almost certainly guarantee Champions League football. However, the change does not affect Liverpool for the current campaign.