Inter getting desperate to move midfielder, Everton and Arsenal linked

As we get into the last few days of the January transfer window, the rumours will get more and more far-fetched as clubs look to pad out their squads for the final stretch of the 2017-18 season.

However, here’s a player that’s been linked with Everton multiple times before, going all the way back to 2014 actually. Inter Milan were aggressively shopping Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic over the summer, and are still looking to offload his wages from their books following what has been another disappointing campaign.

Football Italia have collated some sources stating that after loaning out Joao Mario to West Ham United, Inter are still looking to move Brozovic in the handful of days remaining in the window. The attacking midfielder has featured 17 times for Inter this season, scoring three goals and picking up two assists, but is not considered a part of manager Luciano Spalleti’s future plans, despite having a contract until the end of the 2020-21 season.

According to Sportitalia, Everton and Arsenal have made contact with Inter today to present their proposals.

FCInterNews.it suggest the Everton offer is of €16m (£14m), but that is half the release clause in his contract and won’t be enough.

Sevilla and even Valencia had been linked, but the Premier League seems a more likely destination.

The Blues have had a terrible season so far and continue to struggle to link play between the defence and an increasingly isolated forward line. Brozovic presents a physical challenge on the pitch, more like a James McCarthy with better passing ability in the final third.

However, Everton already have a player in that role that has not gotten any minutes whatsoever after the early season trials and tribulations (Davy Klassen), a youngster who can ably fulfill the role but isn’t getting a look-in (Tom Davies), and like the previously mentioned Joao Mario, Brozovic might prove to be a risk in a position that the Blues don’t really need to worry about right now.

Alternatively though, should Everton be looking ahead beyond Morgan Schneiderlin and assuming that McCarthy will be out as long as Coleman was (ten or more months), then picking up Brozovic from a desperate Inter could prove to be a shrewd move for the under-fire Director of Football Steve Walsh.