Antonio Conte is desperate for Inter to sign Nicolò Barella because the midfielder’s stats show he is perfect for his style of play, Gazzetta dello Sport have suggested.

Barella and his agent Alessandro Beltrami have repeatedly made it clear the Nerazzurri are the only club they want to join, rejecting advances from Napoli in January and Roma this month.

The Italian would be ideal to play under Conte because of his ability to cover the pitch and play with aggression in attack and defence.

Barella ran further than all but two players in Serie A last season, clocking up 3.328 km per game on average, and was fifth overall for the number of fouls suffered (86).

He also won the ball back 113 times for Cagliari, as Rolando Maran’s side preserved their top-flight status on the penultimate weekend of the 2018-19 season.

Barella is also versatile, having played in several different positions during his 100 appearances in Serie A.