Manchester United are chasing not one but two precocious Dinamo Zagreb midfielders, as reports claim the club are tracking Petar Sucic as well as teammate Martin Baturina.
Links to Baturina reached fever pitch earlier this week when it was reported that the “next Luka Modric” had turned down a contract offer from Real Madrid.
But according to TBR Football, he is not the only 21-year-old at the Maksimir Stadium who has caught United’s eye as well as that of their crosstown rivals.
The report states that “both Manchester clubs are amongst a host of sides doing their homework on Croatian starlets Petar Sucic and Martin Baturina.”
It continues to note that the pair, along with Petar’s cousin Luka, are “seen as the future of Croatian football”. All three are fully-fledged members of the international side, with Sucic grabbing a goal and an assist in the recent Nations League fixture with Poland, which ended 3-3.
Sucic is a deep-lying playmaker who has nailed down a starting role at Dinamo Zagreb this season despite his tender years.
In 17 appearances this season, he has picked up three goals and two assists, impressing on the biggest stage with important contributions in the Champions League.
He sat out his side’s 9-2 humbling by Bayern Munich, but opened the scoring in their 2-2 draw with Monaco with an assist from Baturina.
He then netted in their most recent match in the competition, a 4-1 win at Slovan Bratislava, and picked up his first league goal of the season earlier this month.
TBR Football report that a number of clubs from all over Europe are interested in one or both of the exciting young talents, so United have anything but a clear run should they look to bring either on board.
German sides Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig are credited with a particular interest in Sucic.
Portuguese heavyweights Porto, Benfica and Sporting CP have also reportedly been keeping an eye on the youngster, who is contracted at Dinamo Zagreb until 2028.
Feature image Jasmin Walter via Getty Images
Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
