17 year old Alen Halilovic is in Barcelona’s sights
FC Barcelona are playing hardball these days when it comes to signing players they want. This week is no exception and sporting director and ex Barça stopper Andoni Zubizarreta has travelled to Zagreb in Croatia to sort out a deal with Alen Halilovic.
Zubizarreta hopes to pip Arsenal FC to the post in the race to get the youngster to pen a deal with this personal approach by travelling to Croatia. Arsenal also want Halilovic this summer and North London rivals Tottenham, failed in a bid to land him last year.
The 17 year old could well end up at Barcelona say Spanish sports newspaper Sport, largely due to Zubizarreta’s ploy of travelling to Zagreb to thrash out a deal. Mirko Barisic, president of Dinamo Zagreb, confirms that talks with the Catalan giants are under way for Alen Halilovic.
Halilovic is a rising star in his country with the 17-year-old attacking midfielder already having played 3 games for Croatia after making the senior grade in 2012.
At just 5ft 7in, Halilovic would fit in well with Barcelona’s technical wizards as midfielders Xavi and Iniesta are of a similar height and build. His fine displays for Dinamo Zagreb have made him very popular and a definite future star to watch out for.
However, although the 17 year old is a very talented player, president Mirko Barisic has tried to play down any notions that his young star could waltz his way into the Catalan giants’ pecking order.
“Nobody has any guarantee when it comes to the first team of Barcelona”, he had said. “But surely he must safely play in the second team.”
