Five Years & Counting – What Italy Superstar Extending Inter Milan Contract Means

Midfielder Nicolo Barella has signed a new contract with Inter Milan until the end of June 2029.

This means that the 27-year-old intends to be at the Nerazzurri for at least a decade. He has already been at the club for five years, and is now under contract for another five.

But what does Barella’s extension mean to Inter?

The former Cagliari midfielder’s contract extension comes at a time when the Nerazzurri face some uncertainty about the future.

Oaktree Capital have just taken over. They replace Suning as owners.

And Barella’s decision to commit his future sends a clear message.

There is little doubt that the Italian international could join another club if he wanted to. There have been no shortage of approaches made to both Inter and Barella about his services.

From top clubs in the Premier League to European royalty like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, a host of European giants had been pursuing the Inter vice-captain. Nevertheless, all major bookmakers, including Bemybet, were tipping the 27-year-old to stay put at Appiano Gentile

Barella has just put pen to paper on a long-term contract extension with Inter.

Nicolo Barella Before He Joined Inter Milan

Barella joined Inter from Cagliari in the summer of 2019.

He was only 22 years of age at the time, but by the time he arrived at Inter Barella had already made over a hundred Serie A appearances with the Rossoblu.

Barella is a native Sardinian, and had come through Cagliari’s youth academy system.

The midfielder had emerged as the star man for the Rossoblu even as a teenager. He put in a few seasons worth of high-quality displays to help keep his boyhood team in Serie A.

And Barella also earned his first Italy call-ups while at Cagliari.

The young midfielder was already a full international when he joined Inter in 2019. And he looked destined to be the future of Italy’s midfield.

Inter needed to beat a lot of competition to sign Barella. Both from other top sides in Serie A, and from elsewhere in Europe.

And it took a significant transfer fee for the Nerazzurri to secure the Azzurri star.

Therefore, there was a lot of pressure on Barella to live up to the hype and the fee that Inter had invested in him.

Would the young midfielder be able to do so?

Barella’s First Two Years In A Nerazzurri Shirt: Evolving Under Conte

Barella arrived at Inter in the same summer that coach Antonio Conte did.

There were also the high-profile signings of players like Romelu Lukaku, Alessandro Bastoni, Alexis Sanchez, and Stefano Sensi.

When former Juventus and Chelsea coach Conte came in it seemed to signal an ambition on Inter’s part to once again fight for the Serie A title.

And the Nerazzurri did just that, right from the off.

Conte’s Inter team failed to dethrone Juventus in the decorated coach’s first season in charge. Maurizio Sarri guided the Bianconeri to a ninth successive Scudetto.

But Inter got closer than they ever had done since they had last won the title in 2010.

And the Nerazzurri also reached the final of the Europa League. Barella started as Conte’s team lost out to Sevilla in a 3-2 thriller.

Barella made a total of 27 appearances in Serie A in his first season at Inter, and 41 across all competitions.

That was to be the fewest appearances that Barella would make in any of his five seasons at the club so far.

The Italy international has become a fixture in the Inter starting eleven. In the last two seasons combined, he has made exactly one hundred appearances.

Barella’s box-to-box style was key to Inter winning the Serie A title under Conte in the 2020-21 season.

Simone Inzaghi: The Coach Who’s Gotten The Best Out Of Barella

And then, after Conte’s abrupt departure, Barella has been even more important under Simone Inzaghi.

From goals and assists to endless running, the 27-year-old’s best form and most complete game has been unlocked under the former Lazio coach – even compared to his performances under the Conte regime.

Barella has been one of Inter’s star men on the way to two Coppa Italia titles and three Supercoppa Italiana trophies in the last three seasons.

The Italian also started in a Champions League final for Inter.

This past season, Inter won the Serie A title, Barella’s second. And the 27-year-old was certainly a key part of that triumph.

Meanwhile, Barella was also key for Italy as they won the Euros in 2021. And he’ll be even more important for them this summer in Germany.

Italy can benefit from the growth that Barella has experienced under Conte, and especially Inzaghi.

Having arrived at Inter with sky-high potential and talent, and a gritty physical style, Barella has become a much more complete player, in and our of possession.

The 27-year-old seems to refine his game not just with each passing match, but each passing season.

What Nicolo Barella Extension Means To Inter Milan

Barella has just signed a new contract with Inter.

The 27-year-old has signed a five-year extension taking him until the end of June 2029.

This means that, after all the ups and downs of the last five years in a Nerazzurri, Barella’s only thought is about five more.

And it is not just that Barella has signed a new deal.

Just as important as the fact that the 27-year-old signed an extension is the way in which he’s done so.

This has been about as “no stress, no worries” of a contract extension saga as there could possibly be for a player as high-profile as Barella.

There have been no statements to the media from Barella or his agents about the matter.

This is in contrast to Inter captain Lautaro Marintez, whose agent has made remarks in the press throughout the negotiation process with Inter on a new deal.

The Nerazzurri have never been happy with these comments from Martinez’s agent. So naturally, they appreciate the contrast in the talks with Barella.

Moreover, by all accounts, Inter and Barella did not need much of a song and dance to agree on wages.

The 27-year-old is signing a deal worth €6.5 million net per season plus add-ons.

Barella and his agent did not make demands that were much higher to begin with.

The Italian international appreciated the fact that Inter would offer him every penny they are capable of doing in their financial situation, and was ready to accept this.

For Inter, it can only be a positive sign that Barella prioritized committing his future and wrapping up a new deal before EURO 2024.