Barcelona have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic as he could be set to sign a new contract with the Italians.
According to a report from AS, La Liga bigwigs Barcelona have suffered a setback in their chase of Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, as the 28-year-old could be closing in on signing a new contract at Inter Milan.
Brozovic has been with Inter Milan since 2015 and has developed into one of the most reliable performers in his position in Europe. In recent years, the former Dinamo Zagreb star has become an integral part of the Nerazzurri side and was crucial to their Serie A triumph last season.
However, Brozovic’s future at San Siro had been cast into doubts heading into the new year as he is in the final few months of his contract with the club. The 28-year-old’s current deal with Inter runs out at the end of the season, and reports had indicated that there had been some roadblocks in negotiations between the two parties.
The situation had piqued the interest of several top clubs across Europe, including Barcelona. The Catalans are in the market for reinforcements in the middle of the park despite boasting several quality options already in Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Nico Gonzalez and Sergio Busquets.
However, de Jong’s future at Camp Nou might not be entirely secure, whereas Busquets is 33 years old and entering the final stages of his career. So, bringing in a midfielder of Brozovic’s ilk and experience would make sense for the Blaugrana. His potential free agency next summer is another thing that will have appealed to Barcelona due to their delicate financial situation.
However, as per the report mentioned above, Barcelona may miss out on the signing of the Croatian international because Inter Milan’s CEO Beppe Marotta dropped a hint that Brozovic could be set to sign a new contract with the club soon.
Speaking in an interview with DAZN (h/t AS), he said: “We have satisfied the financial requests of Lautaro and Barella. I would say that this parenthesis for the renewals should not distract us from the championship and the Champions League. We are dealing with professionals who want to stay at the club.”
If true, this will come as a blow for Barcelona, who could have done with adding a player like Brozovic to their ranks. However, it remains to be seen if the 28-year-old signs an extension with Inter Milan in the coming weeks.
