Former Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic has agreed a one-year contract with Qatari side Al-Sadd following his departure from Al-Nassr. The move ends interest from Serie A clubs Juventus, Lazio, and Fiorentina, who were unable to match his ten million euro salary.
The 33-year-old Croatian free agent secures a contract with an option for an additional season in Doha. He will join former Lazio defender Alessio Romagnoli at the Qatari club. Brozovic leaves Saudi Arabia after completing his spell with Al-Nassr, where he recorded eight goals and 23 assists across 124 appearances in all competitions. Juventus had heavily evaluated a move for the veteran midfielder to address an emergency in central midfield. Severe injuries to Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram have left the Bianconeri dangerously thin in key central areas for months. However, accommodating Brozovic required squad trimming from their official team lists that Juventus could not complete, alongside adhering to strict UEFA Squad Cost Ratio regulations.
The financial expectations involved in the deal ultimately surpassed what any Italian side could afford in the current market. Brozovic previously spent a decade in Serie A with Inter, making over 330 appearances while helping the club secure one Scudetto and two Coppa Italia titles. His ten million euro net annual salary remains entirely out of reach for Italian teams attempting to manage squad expenditure. Franck Kessié remains the only notable midfielder to return to the Italian peninsula after playing in Saudi Arabia, but Brozovic opted against taking a pay cut. Lazio and Fiorentina also tracked the Croatian international during recent weeks, but neither club pursued formal contract negotiations.
Juventus now face a prolonged stretch of domestic fixtures with major tactical vulnerabilities. Lacking depth in the double pivot leaves manager options constrained as cup and league matches accumulate. Brozovic commits his immediate future to Al-Sadd, forcing Italian clubs to look toward internal adjustments rather than quick transfer fixes.
