Matteo Kovacic

[RJ1882]

We have been linked before, JJ has previously confirmed we have been watching him but felt the £10m asking price was quite high, and Dinpomp has provided us with information and updates on him as his career has progressed.
Word is now that Inter Milan are negotiating a deal with Dinamo Zagreb as a replacement for Liverpool bound Coutinho.

A player of great promise that we look likely to be letting go elsewhere.

 

[Dinpomp]

Reps are reportedly in Croatia and, according to Italian media, are inquiring about Vrsaljko as well.

One report claiming that many top clubs are interested and that Man City remain favourites.

Still don't see Dinamo selling this window. Will probably wait until (at least) the summer. His value is only going up.

This still hasn't reached the Croatian media yet.

 

[Dinpomp]

Italian sources claim it's close to completion. 11m euros + bonuses (up to 15m).

WTF.

Don't believe he'd go for that little. Don't want to believe it.

 

[Dinpomp]

http://www.gianlucadimarzio.com/calciomercato/colpo-inter-preso-kovacic-ecco-i-dettagli/

Claim it's a DONE DEAL.

11m euros + bonuses (up to 15m).

FUCK OFF.

 

[Dinpomp]

Official (from Dinamo's official site)!!!


FUCK OFFFF!LKJ#T$:

 

[mill]

The exact kind of of signing we should be making but don't anymore, we can't afford top drawer and don't seem willing to sign young talents with that kind of potential anymore

 

[RichieS]

The exact kind of of signing we should be making but don't anymore, we can't afford top drawer and don't seem willing to sign young talents with that kind of potential anymore

With Dempsey, Sigurdsson and now Holtby in the squad, would've been a completely pointless use of up to €15m.

 

[kazzah9]

http://www.gianlucadimarzio.com/calciomercato/colpo-inter-preso-kovacic-ecco-i-dettagli/

Claim it's a DONE DEAL.

11m euros + bonuses (up to 15m).

FUCK OFF.

Isn't Halilovic sposed to be the better prospect? I would have loved us to get kovacic but we wouldn't be able to give him much playing time, think he should've stayed in croatia for another year tbh

 

[Dinpomp]

Isn't Halilovic sposed to be the better prospect? I would have loved us to get kovacic but we wouldn't be able to give him much playing time, think he should've stayed in croatia for another year tbh

Both are top prospects at their respective ages.

Halilovic has crazy ability. Needs to prove that he can be an "off the ball" player as well, but he's got ability that most footballers couldn't touch even if they lived on the training pitch. A real effortlessness to his game. His close control is first class.

Kovacic, for me, is almost a sure thing (barring a major injury or something of that nature). A top player good enough to play for the biggest of clubs. Has a great attitude as well.

Halilovic, on the other hand, has the potential to be an almost "unplayable" player. He's that good with the ball at his feet (at this age). That said, he's only 16-years-old and is a bigger risk. At youth level he barely even took a peak at the defensive side of the game. It's something the Dinamo coaching staff have stressed as of late. It's about time too.

 

[kazzah9]

Both are top prospects at their respective ages.

Halilovic has crazy ability. Needs to prove that he can be an "off the ball" player as well, but he's got ability that most footballers couldn't touch even if they lived on the training pitch. A real effortlessness to his game. His close control is first class.

Kovacic, for me, is almost a sure thing (barring a major injury or something of that nature). A top player good enough to play for the biggest of clubs. Has a great attitude as well.

Halilovic, on the other hand, has the potential to be an almost "unplayable" player. He's that good with the ball at his feet (at this age). That said, he's only 16-years-old and is a bigger risk. At youth level he barely even took a peak at the defensive side of the game. It's something the Dinamo coaching staff have stressed as of late. It's about time too.

Cheers for that, well i look forward to seeing how he does. Actually I remember inter playing a young croat striker a fair bit this season after he did well in the europa.

 

[Dinpomp]

One more thing (or two) to add about Halilovic and why he is so special. His left foot. Has already shown an ability to strike the ball very accurately. A number of wonder goals to the top corner. He also has great instincts in front of goal (little dinks/lobs with little-to-no space available).

Kovacic doesn't possess the same goal threat that Halilovic does.


The young Croat striker at Inter is 19-year-old Marko Livaja. He looks to be headed to Atalanta as part of the Schelotto to Inter deal.

 

[taidgh]

Love your posts Dinpomp, long may they continue.

 

[SugarRay]

With Dempsey, Sigurdsson and now Holtby in the squad, would've been a completely pointless use of up to €15m.

Perhaps. In an ideal world though we would have saved almost €10m by not purchasing one of them and freeing up a space for such a player as Kovacic.

 

[Dinpomp]

It doesn't look like they're going to "ease him in."

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti is pleased with their winter market business.

The Nerazzurri have bought Ezequiel Schelotto, Mateo Kovacic and Zdravko Kuzmanovic this month, and the 67-year-old believes the new arrivals can help them win the title.

“I am very pleased with what we have done in the market,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “Kovacic is something special.

“He is definitely a good buy – I am curious to see what he does for us on the pitch.

“I am not aiming for third place – with this team we are aiming for the Scudetto."

A sign of how much he is valued and how much they expect of him is that he was given the coveted "#10", previously worn by Sneijder.

 

[Dinpomp]

Zdravko Mamic (the guy in charge of everything at Dinamo Zagreb) had a press conference today to explain the Kovacic transfer and how it all came about.

He says it (the offer) came as a surprise and that it shocked him/them. It all started Wednesday morning. Within a 1/2 hour they called him 4 times. Every time he told them not to come. They asked for him to go to Milan, but he refused. He says they knew he had turned down an offer from Manchester City for 11m euros. They thought they could put some bonuses in and finish the deal. Mamic told them to not bother getting on a plane because they were not going to sell Kovacic for less than 15m euros. He says they immediately called him back telling him they are getting on a plane and coming to Zagreb.

He said that Moratti was on conference call with them the entire time. The transfer is actually for 13m euros (fixed) + 2m if Inter qualify for the Champions League (which is seen as a formality). So basically, the transfer fee will end up being 15m euros.

It was kind of a Levy for Modric kind of trip/deal, only without Moratti going himself but rather sending someone in his place. Another report from Italy said that Moratti told them "Go to Zagreb and don't come back without Kovacic."

Anyway, Mamic went on to say that Alen Halilovic will most likely be sold in the near future as they won't be able to keep a hold of him much longer. He says that he will be sold for "a little more" than Kovacic just was.

He then went on to say that they get offers all the time. That two years ago Arsenal's president(?) personally came to Zagreb and offered Dinamo 18m euros for Kovacic and Vrsaljko. He said that he told them that they were insulting him. They left without reaching a deal. He said that within the last year they received official offers for Kovacic from Man City (11m), Tottenham (10m)...

He said they have received "147 bids" for Vrsaljko, then went on to list other players who they turned down offers for.

And finally he listed a number of up-and-coming players to keep an eye on and whose names we should remember. He made specific mention to Bojan Knezevic (16-year-old) and said, "He'll be worth 15m euros. Remember that!"

*****

Well anyway, looks like Spurs did make an approach/bid. Just not enough. 15m euros might seem like a lot for an 18-year-old, but if he's not worth 20m+ within the next couple of seasons, I'll be very surprised. Time will tell.

 

[Dinpomp]

Just to add to my "Halilovic to be sold soon" comment from the above post:

http://www.gianlucadimarzio.com/calciomercato/kovacic-allinter-ecco-bonus-dettagli-e-retroscena/

This Italian journalist (he was first with the Kovacic to Inter news), wrote today that Manchester City tabled a bid of 8.5m euros for Alen Halilovic. Dinamo rejected the offer and is holding out for 20m.

 

[kazzah9]

What on earth will he do at city

 

[Challows]

Forgive me for being slightly narrow minded, but what do Zagreb do with all this money? It gives them the ability to be able to set these high values for undoubtably talented players, as they obviously have enough money in the bank to not be forced to sell. Just don't seem to do much with it they I know of (very limited knowledge about them though!).

 

[Kingellesar]

What on earth will he do at city

Sit and have a chat every Saturday with Rodwell and Sinclair.

 

[mill]

Perhaps. In an ideal world though we would have saved almost €10m by not purchasing one of them and freeing up a space for such a player as Kovacic.

Seeing Reading bid £10m for Sigs it would have been a deal worth doing but I guess it's easy in hindsight