Manchester United failed to reach an agreement with Inter Milan over the signing of midfielder Nicolo Barella this summer, according to a report.
The Red Devils were in the market for midfield reinforcements throughout the summer transfer window, and they eventually completed the signings of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat.
Mount has joined Erik ten Hag's side on a permanent deal from Chelsea, while Amrabat finalised his loan move from Fiorentina on the final day of the window, and the Red Devils allegedly have the option to sign the Moroccan on a permanent basis next summer.
Man United were linked with a plethora of other midfielders over the last few months, and Tuttomercatoweb claims that they held an interest in Inter star Barella.
The report adds that the Red Devils used intermediary agents in an attempt to lure the Italy international to Old Trafford and made it clear to the midfielder that they were preparing to table a bid.
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However, an offer from Man United ultimately failed to materialise as they were unwilling to meet Inter's 'high' asking price.
It is also claimed that Barella would have considered leaving Inter in the summer had they failed to qualify for the Champions League, but the Nerazzurri eventually secured third place in Serie A last season.
Barella was an integral member of Simone Inzaghi's squad that reached the Champions League final last season, narrowly losing by a 1-0 scoreline to Manchester City in Istanbul.
The box-to-box midfielder contributed with nine goals and 10 assists in 52 appearances for Inter across all competitions in the 2022-23 campaign, and only Lautaro Martinez (4,117) played more minutes for the Italian giants than the 26-year-old (4,029).
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Barella has chipped in with a total of 20 goals and 44 assists in 191 games for Inter since joining the club from Cagliari in 2020, and he has won four trophies including one Serie A title and two Coppa Italias.
The Cagliari-born midfielder has also starred at international level for Italy, representing his country 47 times to date, and he was a key player during the Azzurri's run to Euro 2020 glory.
Man United were not the only team that were credited with an interest in Barella during the summer, as a recent report claims that fellow Premier League sides Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United all saw approaches for the midfielder knocked back by Inter.
Barella, who has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d'Or, is under contract at San Siro until the summer of 2026 and is expected to feature in Inter's Champions League group-stage opener away against Real Sociedad on Wednesday.
Oliver Thomas
