Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici could be set to utilise his Serie A connections once again, amid reports that the north Londoners are eyeing a summer deal for Inter Milan maestro, Marcelo Brozovic.

What's the word?

According to InterLive.it, the Lilywhites' transfer chief - who previously snapped up the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski from Italy - appears to be intent on landing the Croatia international at the end of the season, with the 30-year-old having been deemed 'expendable' by those at San Siro.

The report suggests that Spurs are the club who have been 'most interested' in signing the 83-cap rock in recent times, albeit with La Liga giants Barcelona also said to be in the mix for his signature.

The piece goes on to add that those at N17 are considering two potential approaches for the Zagreb native, with a straight offer of around €25m (£22m) having been mooted, as well as a proposal of around €10m (£9m) plus academy graduate, Japhet Tanganga.

Imagine him and Hojbjerg

The addition of Brozovic - who still has just over three years left to run on his existing deal in Milan - would provide both quality and experience to Antonio Conte's midfield ranks, with the 5 foot 11 maestro having been a standout figure for the Nerrazzurri over the years.

The former Dinamo Zagreb man has scored 30 goals and provided 37 assists in 303 games for the club to date from his defensive midfield berth, notably playing his part in the side that won the Scudetto under Conte back in 2021.

That glorious campaign saw the "irreplaceable" gem - as previously lauded by ex-Inter star Gianfranco Matteoli - average an impressive 1.6 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game from his 29 league appearances, as per WhoScored, with that an illustration of just what an effective screen he is in front of the backline.

Although he has gone on to feature just 13 times across all fronts this term - making only nine starts - the long-serving warrior still compares favourably to those in his position in Europe, as he ranks in the top 12% for non-penalty goals as a marker that he can also make a difference in the final third if required.

The hope would be that Brozovic would be able to form a menacing midfield partnership with current Tottenham regular, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with the Danish machine also offering a perhaps unsung attacking quality with four goals and three assists from his 21 Premier League appearances this season.

Like the Inter star - who averaged 2.2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game last season in the Italian top-flight - Hojbjerg is also truly effective due to his ball-winning prowess, as he averages 1.5 tackles and 1.5 interceptions in the league this term.

The two men's progressive midfield approach is also illustrated by their willingness to make things happen for their respective sides, with the latter man ranking in the top 9% for attempted passes and the top 9% for pass completion, while Brozovic ranks in the top 4% and the top 9%, respectively, in those same two metrics.

That should indicate that the addition of the experienced asset would provide competition as well as also a potential partner for Hojbjerg in the centre of the park, with that a truly mouthwatering prospect for both Conte and Paratici.