Barcelona midfield target could move to Real Madrid for free

Barcelona, forced by their economic situation, continue to monitor the free transfer market in order to bolster their squad in the summer. Names like Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen have been doing the rounds for a while now.

El Nacional now reports that the Blaugrana are also keen on signing Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. One of the best in his position in Serie A, the Croatian international was pivotal to the Nerazzurri’s title triumph last season and has been at the forefront of the defence of their crown this term.

However, having entered the final year of his contract, the former Dinamo Zagreb ace has been linked with an exit from San Siro at the end of the season. Inter Milan have made multiple attempts to extend his deal, but have been met with rejections as the offers are not close to the demands of the midfielder.

This has piqued the interest of several clubs in Europe, including Barcelona. The Catalans view him as the ideal replacement for Sergio Busquets in the middle of the park, given his vast experience and proven pedigree at the highest level.

However, much like Inter Milan, the Blaugrana are in no position to meet the 29-year-old’s wage demands either, which could force them to look elsewhere.

This could open the doors for Barça’s arch-rivals Real Madrid to snap up Brozovic on a Bosman deal, the report adds. It is claimed that the Croatian international has been offered to Los Blancos, with manager Carlo Ancelotti keen on adding him to the roster.

However, given that they already have a plethora of midfield options such as Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde and youngster Antonio Blanco, it remains to be seen if Florentino Perez decides to pull the trigger on signing the Inter Milan star on a free transfer.

Apart from Barcelona and Real Madrid, even Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are also in the hunt for the 29-year-old as he closes in on the expiry of his contract with the Italian champions.