Though Inter has had somewhat of an indifferent start to the season, the Nerazzurri has managed to grab six wins on the bounce as they finally seem to be finding some consistency in their play. And one man in particular has been an integral figure for the Milanese side so far – step forward, Marcelo Brozovic.
The Croatian international has been topping the statistic charts left, right and centre, as Inter’s campaign has spluttered into life.
In five out of the six Serie A games so far, Brozovic has registered the most passes of any player on the pitch. Similarly, he has also made the most passes in the attacking third on numerous occasions, encapsulating the importance of his ball retention not just in the middle of the park, but going forward. He is the cog in the side which makes Inter tick.
Albeit this is not the most glamorous of roles, recycling possession is key to finding and exploiting space in the final third, as it draws the defensive players out of position exposing gaps, and the Croatian does this expertly.
Moreover, when his side are out of possession, the World Cup finalist is equally as effective – frequently scoring highest for the most tackles and most ball recoveries. The box-to-box midfielder has carried his form over from the second half of last season and kicked-on after an impressive summer with his national side.
It is no wonder he was linked with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur during the transfer window and Inter will be pleased to have secured his signature until 2021.
If the Nerazzurri can continue to fend off interest in their key players such as Brozovic and Mauro Icardi and continue to make intelligent acquisitions as they did this summer, they are certainly building a strong side which could once again challenge for the top honours in the future.
