Cagliari sporting director Marcello Carli has revealed that Chelsea were desperate to land midfielder Nicolo Barella before he made the switch to Inter.

Barella’s future at Cagliari was under the scanner in the previous January transfer window, but the Serie A club waited until the summer to sell him.  

 



Some of the biggest clubs in Europe were after him, but Inter beat off competition to secure the services midfielder and put him under Antonio Conte’s tutelage at the San Siro.

Napoli and Atletico Madrid offered big money for Barella, but Cagliari decided against selling him and Maurizio Sarri was also keen to take him to Chelsea in January.
 


Carli claimed that Chelsea were prepared to do absolutely everything to sign Barella, but Cagliari held their nerve and sold him on their terms to Inter last summer.



The Cagliari sporting director told Italian daily Corriere dello Sport: “Last January, Napoli pushed themselves, like Atletico Madrid but [Cagliari chairman Tommaso] Giulini said no.

“Chelsea would have done anything and some more [to get him].
 

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“Sarri would have liked to take him despite the transfer ban.”

Sarri eventually left Chelsea at the end of last season and the Blues' transfer ban meant no new players were signed in the summer.