Barcelona and Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing 28-year-old Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic this summer.
According to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, Marcelo Brozovic is the subject of interest from Barcelona and Manchester United over a move in the summer transfer window. However, Serie A champions Inter Milan are keen on tying the 28-year-old midfielder down to a new deal and secure his long-term future.
Marcelo Brozovic joined Inter Milan from Dinamo Zagreb in January 2015 but took some time to stamp his authority as one of the best midfielders in Serie A. Over the last few seasons, though, the Croatian international has easily been in the top echelon of all players in the Italian top-flight.
To date, the 28-year-old has made 242 appearances for the Nerazzurri, chipping in with 25 goals and 32 assists as well. And this past season, Brozovic played a key role in Inter’s Serie A triumph, as the club returned to the summit of Italian football after years of trials and tribulations. However, his current deal expires next summer, which has piqued the interest of Barcelona and Manchester United.
Barcelona are hoping to offload Miralem Pjanic this summer, with the Bosnian midfielder being linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, as well as a bevy of Serie A giants, including Inter Milan themselves. With Sergio Busquets in the twilight of his career, managing his game-time will be crucial next term and signing a player like Brozovic would be a step in the right direction.
Manchester United, on the other hand, are planning for life without Nemanja Matic, who has started getting phased out of the first-team picture. With neither Scott McTominay nor Fred being a natural holding midfielder, signing such a player is imperative if the Red Devils are to take the next step in their evolution.
To that end, Manchester United have been linked with Declan Rice, among others this summer, with Brozovic a viable target as well. And both Barcelona and United will revel in the fact that Brozovic’s current contract with Inter Milan has a little under a year left to expire, which could potentially make him ripe for a cut-price move.
The Serie A champions are trying to tie him down to a new contract, but wage demands could prove to be a stumbling block. Brozovic’s camp have asked for the wages to be hiked from the current €3.5 million-a-year package to €6 million per year. The Nerazzurri, though, are only willing to offer a €4.5 million-a-year deal.
Barcelona and Manchester United will hope the two sides reach an impasse over the terms of a new deal, which will only help their cause. For now, the two European heavyweights are hot on the trails of Brozovic, and it will be interesting to see if the 28-year-old embarks on a new adventure this summer by leaving Inter Milan.
