Barcelona are moving to trump Liverpool to the signing of Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

Liverpool have been in talks with Inter for some weeks over a fee for the midfielder.

And with Geoffrey Kondogbia arriving from AS Monaco this week, Kovacic is now expected to move on.

However, Liverpool won't get a clear run at his signing, with Corriere dello Sport reporting that Barca chief Ariedo Braida was in Milan on Monday to meet with Inter director Marco Fassone.

The pair were discussing transfer strategy and Kovacic's future was on the table. Braida has admitted his admiration for the young midfielder in recent weeks.