Marcelo Brozovic becomes the latest player leaving Europe for Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr

MILAN (AP) — Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic is the latest elite player taking advantage of the Saudi Arabian league’s riches by joining Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.

The move means Brozovic will go from having played in the Champions League final in his last match with Inter Milan — as team captain — to a league that is just starting to emerge on the international stage.

“Everyone wanted him. He wanted only us,” Al-Nassr said in a tweet announcing Brozovic’s arrival Monday.

Media reports said the transfer fee was 18 million euros ($20 million) and that Brozovic has agreed to a three-year deal worth more than 25 million euros (nearly $30 million) per season.

Inter could use the money from the sale to help it re-purchase Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in December with a deal reportedly worth up to $200 million a year.

More recently, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibali and Edouard Mendy have also moved to the Saudi Arabian league.

Al-Nassr also announced Nike as its new uniform sponsor for next season, with the club to start wearing the swoosh during a tour of Japan at the end of the month.

The 30-year-old Brozovic is a versatile midfielder who spent the last nine seasons at Inter.

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