Atletico Madrid‘s summer recruitment drive will be made with the idea that they can go one step further next year both at home and abroad, having ended third in La Liga and runners-up in the UEFA Champions League in 2015-16.

Diego Simeone‘s men have great quality and depth throughout the squad, but there’s no question they want to add another dimension to their attacking play. Our recent look at a transfer target for Los Rojiblancos saw how Edinson Cavani would fit the team, but he’s far from the only rumoured player that the side are looking at.

Another name in the frame is Inter Milan and Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, who Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia) suggested is wanted by several clubs including the Vicente Calderon outfit. The claim was that talks took place surrounding the player, with Atletico‘s Miguel Angel Gil and Inter’s Piero Ausilio involved from the clubs’ directorial boards.

Brozovic is undoubtedly a player of quality, which he’ll no doubt showcase while on duty for his nation at UEFA Euro 2016, and there’s certainly a case to make for him improving Atletico‘s overall squad.

 

Career path and 2015-16

Brozovic began playing senior football in Croatia at age 17, quickly moving up to the national league with a couple of moves which eventually landed him at Dinamo Zagreb, the most successful club in the top flight, the 1. HNL.

Having made his name known to the wider watching world of European football with some eye-catching performances at under-21 level for Croatia as well as in Europe with Dinamo, Brozovic was called up to the senior squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, even though he was uncapped. Since then, he has become a regular fixture in the national team, playing 17 times to date at age 23.

At club level he earned a move to Inter Milan in January 2015, though the Serie A side currently only have him on loan. Reports have been conflicting as to the specifics regarding the loan, but the most common seem to suggest Inter have an obligation to sign Brozovic permanently this summer for around €5-6 million, while Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Gazzetta World) reported recently that the deal had already been sealed.

This past season saw Brozovic play a pivotal role for Roberto Mancini, fulfilling a variety of midfield roles; early on in the campaign he struggled to find a regular spot in the team, yet from mid-November he played every Serie A match with the exception of one he was suspended for, and he played the full 90 minutes in all of Inter’s last 10 games.

Brozovic scored twice against Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg, though his team eventually lost on penalties.

 

Roles and traits

The term “complete midfielder” doesn’t quite apply to Brozovic, as he perhaps lacks the physicality to be a real ball-winner, but aggression and technical ability can be found throughout his game.

Equally comfortable as a box-to-box distributor of the ball or an attacking option who helps put the final touches on moves in the final third, Brozovic has played in a two-man midfield, as part of a three-man and solo as a No. 10. He can even filter out wide and be a movement-based outlet for his team in the right channel, though he certainly would never be classed as a winger.

An excellent first touch, the ability to play with his head up and a fantastic range of passes make Brozovic a standout in possession, one who thrives with movement ahead of him and within a strong tactical setup, something which hasn’t always been in evidence at ever-changing Inter.

 

Fitting Atletico

One area where Atletico Madrid don’t need any new faces is central midfield.

The established order at the end of last season saw captain Gabi partner either Augusto Fernandez, Koke or Saul, while Thomas Partey was the impact substitute. Tiago also returned from a long-term injury toward the end of the campaign and signed a one-year extension to his contract, while Mattias Kranevitter has so far seen limited action and may be loaned out in 2016-17, per Marca.

It’s a crowded area of the team, and while Brozovic is young and talented enough to compete for a spot, it would be a waste of investment. However, the Croatian’s versatility could come into play, along with that of the rest of Atleti‘s midfield.

Koke and Saul both regularly change positions and help balance the team out, switching easily from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3, and there’s little doubt that Brozovic would add to the fluid nature of the team.

The best example of his tactical intelligence in this sense can be seen at international level: Watch Croatia at Euro 2016, and the rotating cast of Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric and Brozovic will be seen alternately pushing on from central midfield to support the front line, with the other two standing their ground centrally. Brozovic has no problem with adaptation in a tactical sense, and on a social level he seemed to also adapt easily to life in Serie A.

His work rate and industry should also impress Simeone.

 

Suitability?

It’s not as straightforward as simply saying that Brozovic would or would not be a good signing.

Yes, he has quality to shine in Atletico‘s team, and yes, he seems an attainable purchase; Brozovic himself suggested he would talk to Inter regarding his future after the Euros, according to Jutarnji (h/t Football Italia), but the likes of Arsenal have also been heavily linked by Charlie Phillippe of the Express, and Mancini rates his midfielder so highly he said the midfielder would “become one of the best,” per FourFourTwo.

To cap it off, Inter have recently sold 70 per cent ownership to Chinese group Suning Commerce, who promise an injection of funds. It’s possible they would hold out for more money or refuse to sell—though Inter have had a habit of selling their best players and failing to really build success in recent years.

There’s no doubt Atletico would be a good step up for the player himself, but Atleti must make sure they still have sufficient funds for the genuinely top-class striker they need first, as well as depth at full-back, before embarking on a chase for what might be a luxury addition in an already cluttered midfield zone.

 

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