Inter came very close to selling Marcelo Brozovic last summer, according to a report in the Italian media today.

Corriere dello Sport’s print edition revealed the Nerazzurri were on the verge of swapping the Croatian for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes.

A deal between the two clubs had even been agreed, before the swap fell through due to excessive requests from Brozovic’s entourage regarding commissions.

Since then, Brozovic has re-established himself as an untouchable player in Antonio Conte’s midfield and is leading Inter towards the Serie A title.

The 28-year-old has made 33 appearances in all competitions for Inter this season, scoring once and providing seven assists.

As explained by the Rome-based publication, Brozovic was not the only member of Conte’s starting XI who came close to leaving Inter in recent months.

Christian Eriksen, Lautaro Martinez, Milan Skriniar and Ivan Perisic have all flirted with departures as well, before ultimately staying put and rejuvenating their Nerazzurri careers.