Barcelona have reportedly made a big contract offer for Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, who is also on the radars of Manchester United and Tottenham.
According to Italian publication La Repubblica, as relayed by FC Inter 1908, Barcelona have acted on their interest in Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic by submitting a contract offer worth €8 million per year to lure him to Camp Nou.
Brozovic has grown into one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in Europe during his time with Inter Milan. One of the key members of the team, the Croatian international was integral to the Nerazzurri’s Serie A success last season while he has once again been among their top performers in the ongoing campaign.
However, Brozovic’s contract situation has led to a lot of speculation surrounding his future, as his current deal runs out at the end of the season. The 29-year-old has been garnering a lot of interest from top clubs across Europe, with Barcelona, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur especially keen.
Barcelona are on the lookout for a replacement for club captain Sergio Busquets, who is entering the final phase of his career. While he has upped his game under new manager Xavi Hernandez, the Catalans do not have a proper backup for the veteran midfielder, whose game-time will need to be managed going forward.
Brozovic, to that end, has emerged as an option for Barcelona. The report states that the Blaugrana have already taken a step towards trying to sign the Inter Milan star on a free transfer by offering him a bumper deal worth €8 million per year. With the Nerazzurri tabling a €6 million-a-year proposal, the midfielder could decide to switch allegiances in the summer.
However, Barcelona are not the only club pursuing Brozovic as Manchester United and Tottenham are also very much in the picture. The Red Devils’ need for reinforcement in the holding midfield role is no secret, with Fred and Scott McTominay struggling in the position while Nemanja Matic has become a bit-part player at best.
While Declan Rice remains a priority, the England international would be an expensive option, and he is believed to favour a move to Chelsea. So it is only logical for Manchester United to keep their options open.
As for Tottenham, there does not seem to be an urgent necessity to bolster their central midfield unit, considering that they recently acquired the services of Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus. Along with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks, Antonio Conte has his bases covered in the middle of the park.
However, the Italian tactician is keen on reuniting with his former ward. But signing him would potentially come at the expense of one of the current midfielders being forced out. Both Tottenham and Manchester United are just monitoring the situation and are yet to make any contract offers.
But with Barcelona already making their move, it will be interesting to see if they can sway Brozovic’s decision after it was recently reported that he was ready to sign an extension with Inter Milan.
