Juventus on alert as Spalletti’s old pupil could be heading towards free agency | OneFootball

Juventus are reportedly keeping close tabs on the Marcelo Brozovic transfer saga, as Al-Nassr are struggling to lock him down with a new deal.

The midfielder spent eight years at Inter, before following Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi giants in the summer of 2023.

The 33-year-old signed a three-year contract at the time, with a whopping yearly salary of €18 million.

However, the Croatian’s deal will expire at the end of the season, leaving his future in Riyadh up in the air.

Contract negotiations between Marcelo Brozovic & Al-Nassr put on ice

According to Il Corriere dello Sport via TuttoJuve, the contract talks between Brozovic and Al-Nassr have stalled, with the two parties unable to find an accord.

As the Roman newspaper explains, the Saudi Pro League giants would like to keep the experienced midfielder, but only on a reduced salary.

Therefore, the Croatian is reluctant to accept, although he feels fairly comfortable in Saudi Arabia. Brozovic could thus consider some of his other options, which may include Juventus, who are reportedly monitoring the situation.

(Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

The former Dinamo Zagreb star arguably hit his peak when he worked under Luciano Spalletti at Inter between 2017 and 2019.

When the Tuscan manager first arrived at Appiano Gentile, Brozovic was considered an attacking midfielder. However, the tactician later realised that his traits are more suited to a deeper role.

Hence, he transformed him into a Regista, and went on to become the best Serie A player in this particular role at one point in his career.

Would Brozovic be the right choice for Juventus?

While Brozovic’s quality is undeniable, one might wonder if he still has what it takes to cope with the pace of one of the biggest leagues in Europe, not to mention the Champions League.

This has been a common concern regarding players who dwell too long in peripheral leagues. Even though the Saudi Pro League has been enjoying a meteoric rise since 2023, the pace and quality are not comparable to the Italian top flight.

Therefore, Juventus would do well to invest in a younger and hungrier midfielder instead of resorting to someone who may be past his prime.