Barcelona-linked midfielder not looking to leave current club in January

Barcelona and Inter Milan are looking to engineer a swap deal involving Franck Kessie and Marcelo Brozovic in the ongoing transfer window, according to widespread reports.

The Catalans are open to moving Kessie on, after he has failed to adapt since joining the club in the summer as a free agent. And, Inter Milan have had their eyes on the Ivory Coast international to reinforce their midfield ranks.

A swap deal involving Brozovic has been discussed, with Barça open to the possibility as they see the 30-year-old Croatian international as a good short-term replacement for captain Sergio Busquets.

However, according to Sky Sport Italia, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Brozovic is not entirely keen on leaving Inter Milan midway through the season as he continues to recover from a calf injury.

The 30-year-old would slot right back into the lineup at Inter Milan once he returns from the sidelines and believes that a starting berth would not be guaranteed for him should he move to Barcelona this month.

It must be noted that Brozovic signed a new contract with the Nerazzurri only last year, committing his future to the club until the summer of 2026. And hence, it does not come as a surprise that he is uncertain about leaving the club midway through the season.

Furthermore, it has been reported that Inter Milan would seek an additional transfer fee along with Kessie if they were to allow Brozovic to join Barcelona, which could become an issue for the Catalan giants.

Add to that, Kessie is also understood to be reluctant to leave Camp Nou as he is happy at the club despite his limited playing time. Considering all these factors, a swap deal involving the two seems highly unlikely in the ongoing transfer window.

However, the possibility of Barcelona and Inter Milan revisiting the operation in the summer transfer window remains on the table.