In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson urged Liverpool to strengthen their midfield department by signing ‘a top player’ like Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic this summer. Robinson said (via Football Insider), “Liverpool’s transfer targets will change due to the fact of where they are – the top of the game.
“He is a top player and a top player at international level as well.
“You look at the Liverpool squad and eventually it is going to need refreshing. Jordan Henderson has had an outstanding season but players like him and James Milner are not going to be able to play week in week out and the squad will need to be refreshed.
“New faces are going to come in and Brozovic is the level of player that Liverpool are looking at.
“Coutinho has been mentioned as well and those are the type of players they will need to keep themselves at the top.”
The Daily Mirror has recently reported that the Reds made contact with the Croatian playmaker’s representatives over a potential transfer during the summer transfer window.
Brozovic’s Growing Influence At Inter Milan This Season
The Zagreb-born midfield ace has enjoyed a solid campaign at the San Siro where he has made a name for himself for putting in several impressive displays at the heart of Antonio Conte’s midfield. He has scored three goals and provided five assists in 32 appearances for Inter this term in all competitions which goes to show how much he has matured under Conte’s tutelage.
Brozovic has averaged 2.4 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, 1.9 shots, 1.5 key passes and 1.0 dribbles in every 90 minutes of league football this season (stats via whoscored). The Croatian international has a slightly better defensive record in European football but has not managed to be as productive going forward after averaging 2.7 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 2.0 clearances, 0.8 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game in the UEFA Champions League so far (stats via whoscored). Either way, his stats highlight just how influential he can be for the Italian giants at both ends of the field regardless of what competition he is playing in.
As Paul Robinson claims, the former Dinamo Zagreb playmaker has enhanced his reputation at the international level after earning 51 senior caps for the Croatian national team while registering six goals for his homeland in the process. He will once again play a crucial role for Zlatko Dalić’s side in next year’s UEFA European Championship finals after the competition got delayed because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
What Will The Inter Star Add To Jurgen Klopp’s Side?
The 27-year-old is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also play in a more advanced role at the centre of the park if required. He doesn’t have any weaknesses in his game as such and is quite well-rounded in the way he operates in midfield. Brozovic is a tireless worker who doesn’t mind covering a lot of ground to make a crucial interception for his side. He can also read the danger quickly, which allows him to pull off many vital clearances when his teammates are left exposed at the back.
What makes him such an all-around midfielder is his ability to influence the game in the opposition half. Brozovic is an excellent distributor of the ball as evidenced by his pass success rate of 89.5% in the Serie A this season (stats via whoscored). He can also score the odd goal from midfield as his strikes usually pack a lot of power and accuracy.
Should The Reds Orchestrate A Move For Brozovic In This Off-Season?
Brozovic ticks all the right boxes in terms of what Klopp expects from his midfielders. He will not only add a lot of quality to the Liverpool midfield but also provide more competition for Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita for a regular first-team berth at Anfield. Therefore, the Merseyside giants would be wise to arrange a move to bring the Croatian international to the Premier League when the transfer window reopens later this year.
