da lvbet： Ante Coric is apparently one of the hottest properties in Europe at the moment.
da betcris： The 19-year-old Dinamo Zagreb midfielder has been dubbed the ‘new Luka Modric’ and eyes from across Europe have wandered towards the Croatian.
It’s no surprise that West Ham’s Slaven Bilic has noticed the player. Being the ex-Croatia boss, he would have been aware of players coming up through the ranks, plus he will know his fellow countryman. What’s more of a surprise is that also in the Premier League, Jurgen Klopp has also been keen to invite the youngster to Liverpool.
As Klopp’s re-build of a sleeping giant continues, the German will know the value of bringing in youngsters for the future and that such talents do not grow on trees. However, the usual recruitment for teams like Liverpool is to buy in the finished article.
For Bilic, he will want to entice Coric because West Ham are currently putting together a very good squad of players with a certain emphasis on youth. With the acquisitions of future stars such as Martinez, Dobson and Quina already done, Bilic has a rich selection of youthful talent coming through now.
But who is Ante Coric and why are West Ham and Liverpool so interested? Here are FIVE things you need to know about the Croatian…
Coric Nearly Joined Bayern Munich and Chelsea
In 2009, Coric joined the youth academy of Red Bull Salzburg in spite of interest from other clubs, including Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Barcelona. On joining the club Coric commented: “I wanted to become a Red Bull Salzburg player because my team-mates here are better than players of the same age anywhere else. We train better and more often than others. And I was very impressed by how warmly I was welcomed.”
In 2013, after four years in Salzburg, he returned to Croatia.
Footballer Of Hope
Coric came on as a 77th-minute substitute and scored the fifth goal in Dinamo’s 2014/15 Europa League opener against Astra Giurgiu, a 5-1 win. With this goal, he became the youngest goalscorer in Europa League history, at the age of 17 years and 157 days.
In 2015, Croatian newspaper Večernji list awarded Coric the Croatian Hope of the Year award, given to the best young Croatian player of the year. He’s still under contract at Dinamo until 2020, but Zagreb would be willing to listen to offers of around £10m for the teenager.
He Can Score As Well
10 goals in 67 appearances for Dinamo isn’t scintillating, but then clubs aren’t buying him for his goals. The fact that he can weigh in with the odd goal is useful, but not a major requirement.
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What They’ve Said About Coric
His club manager, Zoran Mamic, admitted that Coric had the ability to usurp Real Madrid’s Modric and Mateo Kovacic. “Ante is a treasure for our club. He is a greater talent than Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic were at his age.”
On top of that compliment Dinamo Zagreb’s club president added: “He is better than Boban or Prosinecki were at the same age.”
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Style
The teenager plays as a ‘No.10’ in the more traditional style. He dictates attacks and is noted for the delicate through balls and passes alongside technical skill and one-twos with the strikers.
His performances last season meant that three of Europe’s biggest clubs approached him directly, but a deal wasn’t done. “I spoke to Manchester City and Bayern Munich representatives, while I also spoke with a Real Madrid scout and there were other clubs interested in signing me as well,” he told Goal in April.
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