Three Alternatives For Marcelo Brozovic Who Everton Can Target
Everton were hoping to bag their fourth signing this summer in the form Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic but got rejected by Inter Milan after making an initial bid of £15.7million. The Toffees are trying to take advantage of the San Siro club’s condition of complying with the financial fair play regulations.
The versatile midfielder can be deployed in a number positions but is usually used as a box to box midfielder. Brozovic did enjoy a decent season with Inter Milan last season with 6 goals and 4 assists in 28 appearances for the club. But the real reason behind Everton’s interest in the Croatian is undoubtedly his versatility – his ability to play as a defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, on the right wing or even as a centre-back. But his weakness lies in his physicality and his poor aerial ability which is basically unsuitable for the Premier League.
In case Everton do miss out the Brozovic, there are several other options in the market who they can look to acquire. Let’s take a look at three such midfielders who could fit the bill at Everton.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
The 21-year-old Danish midfielder is considered to be one of the most promising young footballers in Europe. But Hojbjerg never got a decent chance at Allianz to make his mark eventually making his move to Southampton last year on a five-year deal worth £12.8million. In terms of playing style, Hojbjerg mirrors Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen with his ability to create chances out of almost nothing and has tremendous speed and strength that meets the demands of the Premier League. It falls down to whether Southampton are willing to part ways with young Dane. Should Everton manage to sign the youngster, it would be a brilliant move.
Marko Grujic
The 21-year-old Serbian international and Liverpool midfielder could be a perfect fit for Everton this season although the possibility of Liverpool letting him go is not guaranteed. But Liverpool are looking at an excessive amount options in the midfield this season with the likes of Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum, Adam Lallana, and Emre Can all fit and available. Everton could look at a loan deal for the youngster who shares similar qualities with his fellow Serbian international Nemanja Matic in terms of playing style and could be an excellent asset for the Toffees. However, the major stumbling block could be the fierce rivalry between the two clubs.
Considering that this is only a loan deal and Everton are nowhere near Liverpool in terms of challenging for the league title, the Reds might think twice before saying a no.