Should Arsenal or Liverpool move for Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic?

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Croatia are blessed with technically gifted midfielders with Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic their two leading lights. Their efficiency of their production line must be the envy of nations across Europe, not least England, especially for a country with a population of just over four million people. Marcelo Brozovic is much fancied to be next in line, and reports this week suggest that Arsenal and Liverpool are interested in acquiring his services.

Brozovic broke into Dinamo Zagreb’s first team at the age of 17 and has since gained 17 senior international caps by the age of 23. He got his first big break in January 2015 when he earned a loan move to Internazionale and has since been tied down on a permanent deal at the San Siro. Under Roberto Mancini last season, the Croatian filled in a number of different roles in midfield and could certainly fall under the category of ‘box-to-box’ midfielder. Midfield roles have become increasingly compartmentalized in the last decade, with fans and pundits preferring to pigeon hole midfielders into defensive or offensive categories.

He has a good capacity to cover vast areas of ground and completed 82% of his passes in 32 Serie appearances last year. He contributed four goals and five assists, which sounds modest but he was employed in a wide area or in a deeper midfield two for much of the season. However, though he does possess a fair amount of aggression, Brozovic averaged only two defensive actions per league match and won just 41% of his duels. At a shade under six foot, Brozovic isn’t quite a physical ball-winner.

With this in mind, it is hard to make a case for Arsenal requiring his services. Following the departures of Mathieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky, the Gunners have recruited Mohammed Elneny, Granit Xhaka while Alex Iwobi has come through to take Rosicky’s place in the squad. With Francis Coquelin and Aaron Ramsey firmly established and Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla returning from long-term injuries, Arsenal are well-stocked for midfield numbers.

Moreover, it is a squad that contains every type of midfielder imaginable. There is an excellent deep-lying distributor in Xhaka, an energetic ball-winner in Coquelin, two box to box options with Elneny and Ramsey and two diminutive ball carriers in the shape of Cazorla and Wilshere. Arsene Wenger decided not to pursue N’Golo Kante which was a sure sign he is happy with his current midfield options.

Liverpool’s needs in midfield are far greater. Since the departure of Xabi Alonso in 2009 and Javier Mascherano the following summer, there has been something of a black hole in Liverpool’s midfield. Steven Gerrard continued to hold things together until he parted last year. A whole host of players have been brought in who haven’t quite made the grade; Christian Poulsen, Alberto Aquilani, Charlie Adam, Nuri Sahin among others. Lucas Leiva has possibly been an underrated presence. Jordan Henderson and James Milner are solid team players who are worth keeping, but are not quite worthy of a club of Liverpool’s stature planning around. Joe Allen is due to leave and join Stoke City. Emre Can is a decent prospect, but still needs to settle on one position.

Jurgen Klopp has already added Georgino Wijnaldum this summer as he seeks to continue his regeneration of Liverpool’s playing staff. With Allen due to depart, there is a need to reinforce their midfield stocks. Also, Brozovic is exactly the profile of player that Klopp likes to work with. He is still relatively young, and because of that remains hungry and easier to mould than an ‘off-the-peg’ signing. Croatia’s collection of midfield players should be enough of a precedent to make buying clubs confident of Brozovic’s ability, and there is no doubt that Liverpool is a more likely destination for him than Arsenal.

Featured image courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/interstreaming/