Liverpool and Spurs will battle it out for Dinamo Zagreb prodigy Ante Coric in January, writes Greg Stobart for Squawka in an exclusive report.
We were heavily linked with the 19-year-old, who’s rated at £15m, over the summer, but Coric chose to stay in his homeland. The article though claims the teenager, who’s a regular in the international squad, is expected to depart this winter.
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Tottenham famously captured Luka Modric from Zagreb many years back and are naturally interested in his heir apparent, while Liverpool want attacking midfield reinforcements for when Sadio Mane is away with Senegal at the AFCON.
Coric is not a natural right-winger with speed to burn and instead relies on technical, creative qualities in a more central role – but then again – so does Christian Pulisic, the Dortmund youngster we had an £11m bid turned down for at the end of the summer (via Kicker).
Actually, Coric and Pulisic are cut from similar cloth, and with our interest in the latter confirmed, it’s perhaps no surprise we’re monitoring the former as well.
For us though, it’d make more sense to bring in someone like Quincy Promes or Julian Brandt, who fit naturally into Mane’s slot and provide pace and goals rather than the playmaking qualities we already have in abundance.
Still, behind Jurgen Klopp’s madness, always lies a method!