Andrija Balic and Nikola Vlasic (both of Hajduk Split)

[Dinpomp]

http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Haj...ype/ArticleView/articleId/244060/Default.aspx


According to Croatian paper Slobodna Dalmacija Franco Baldini was in Split yesterday to hold talks with Hajduk over a potential move for their very talented midfielder, Andrija Balic (16-years-old). They mention a fee of 1.5m euros. He was in the stands today to watch him as Hajduk's juniors (U19) played Split's U19. The player who stood out is Hajduk's other very talented 16-year-old, Nikola Vlasic (who is the younger brother of Olympic high-jumper Blanka Vlasic). In the game Vlasic scored 2 long range goals and the report writes that Spurs are also interested in him.

Balic and Vlasic are Hajduk's two most talented players within their youth ranks. Both were part of the recent Croatia U18 vs. England U18 friendlies a couple of months ago (Vlasic scored in one of those matches). Both have played some games/minutes with Hajduk's senior side this season. Hajduk fans and those who follow their youth teams rave about these kids. They have for a while now.

Balic is very good on the ball, a central midfielder who has excellent technique and can spot a pass. Vlasic is physically very gifted and plays more as an attacking midfielder. He has a very good shot and has scored a number of goals from outside the area. They both started the year with Hajduk's cadets (U17) but since the winter break have been playing primarily for the U19's and some time with the senior side.

They are definitely Hajduk's two most talented at that age group, but also amongst Croatia's as well.

 

[Dinpomp]

In the Mail now:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...jduk-Split-highly-rated-young-midfielder.html

Andrija Balic wanted by Tottenham as Franco Baldini negotiates with Hajduk Split over highly-rated young midfielder

• Tottenham are in talks with Hajduk Split over transfer of 16-year-old midfielder Andrija Balic, who is valued at £4.5m

By SIMON JONES

Published: 14:19 GMT, 5 May 2014 | Updated: 14:24 GMT, 5 May 2014

Tottenham are in talks with Hajduk Split over the transfer of talented young midfielder Andrija Balic.

Sporting director Franco Baldini has been in negotiations with the Croatian club over recent weeks and is looking to strike a deal for around £1.8million. However, Split want closer to £4.5million for the coveted 16-year-old who has already broken into their first team.

The shaggy-haired teenager often plays in a defensive role for his club and has appeared for Croatia U18s. He was watched by Tottenham scouts playing against England in March.


Ajax, notably, Borussia Dortmund and Marseille have also watched him closely with the Dutch champions having a £500,000 offer rejected earlier in the season.

Split have already sold 19-year-old Mario Pasalic to Chelsea, who was loaned back, and are fending off bids for several other members of their young first team squad. Midfielder Josip Basic, 18, and Ivory Coast winger Jean Evrard Kouassi, 19, in particular, have been watched closely by Bundesliga and Premier League scouts recently.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid are stepping up interest in Tottenham misfit Roberto Soldado although the White Hart Lane club would still like to recoup the £26million they spent on signing him from Valencia last summer and that will prove difficult.

 

[Barry Mead]

Interesting that Baldini is still scouring Europe which suggests that he's not being edged out right now, also interesting that Ajax have been following this lad although it would seem a stretch that FDB had mentioned him, but who knows, if negotiations are far more advanced than the club want to let on it might be a possibility
Either way it's good that we are keeping our eyes out for promising youngsters

 

[Dinpomp]

Croatian papers first mentioned Baldini's trip a few days ago (before the weekend). That he was going to begin negotiations with Hajduk and that he would most likely attend today's match. There seems to be some credence in it. At least an initial interest. The Mail is just coat-tailing off that.

Two top talents though. Vlasic is particularly viewed as a top class talent (by those who follow Hajduk's youth teams).

 

[DaSpurs]

Interesting that Baldini is still scouring Europe which suggests that he's not being edged out right now, also interesting that Ajax have been following this lad although it would seem a stretch that FDB had mentioned him, but who knows, if negotiations are far more advanced than the club want to let on it might be a possibility
Either way it's good that we are keeping our eyes out for promising youngsters

This is actually the scenario I was hoping for. I don't want Baldini in charge of scouting, as his eye for talent has now been questioned at just about every club he's been associated with and he also seems unamenable to coming to an agreement with managers on a concrete plan. However, he is apparently a fantastic negotiator with excellent skills in making and keeping contacts. If Broomfield is given the responsibility of highlighting players, and Baldini with securing them, then I think it's an excellent tandem going forward.

 

[chinaman]

But will our new Head Coach want them?

 

[DaSpurs]

But will our new Head Coach want them?

I trust Broomfield's eye for talent. If he wants to chase after a 16 year old, I've no qualms whatsoever regardless of the manager.

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

I trust Broomfield's eye for talent. If he wants to chase after a 16 year old, I've no qualms whatsoever regardless of the manager.

Who did Broomfield scout last time other than Sandro ?

 

[VegasII]

Who did Broomfield scout last time other than Sandro ?

Leandro

 

[DaSpurs]

Who did Broomfield scout last time other than Sandro ?

Modric, Vertonghen, and Luis Suarez just to name a few.

 

[DaSpurs]

Leandro

Indeed, but Broomfied was gone while we continued to pursue Leandro for over a year. As such, that ridiculous saga cannot entirely be attributed to him.

 

[beats1]

But will our new Head Coach want them?

Nothing to do with the new head coach, they wont be first team players but in the development squad or out on loan

 

[Barry Mead]

Modric, Vertonghen, and Luis Suarez just to name a few.

He couldn't have scouted Modric for us, Luka was at the club under Ramos before Harry took over and Harry brought Broomfield in a while after he took over.

I think you are right that the others were his suggestions and Suarez looked pretty much on the cards till Messrs Ferdinand and Sherwood put their foot in it

 

[worcestersauce]

Surely we can't judge Broomfield on who came to us but also those who didn't as he didn't have responsibility for negotiations, as DaSpurs said, if he does what he's good at and Franco does what he's good at we may be on a winner.
Sad to hear about our interest in these kids as I'd prefer our interest to be under wraps and to hear after any deal is done, still I'm pleased we are interested.

 

[harry's chin]

I don't know anything about them

 

[DaSpurs]

He couldn't have scouted Modric for us, Luka was at the club under Ramos before Harry took over and Harry brought Broomfield in a while after he took over.

I think you are right that the others were his suggestions and Suarez looked pretty much on the cards till Messrs Ferdinand and Sherwood put their foot in it

Whoops, could've sworn somewhere that I had read he was scouted by Broomfield. My apologies. Nonetheless, the list of players he referred to Tottenham Hotspur alone is impressive.

 

[harry's chin]

Whoops, could've sworn somewhere that I had read he was scouted by Broomfield. My apologies. Nonetheless, the list of players he referred to Tottenham Hotspur alone is impressive.

Suarez, Cavani, Oscar, Courtois, Martinez

we could have had an awesome frontline

 

[jambreck]

@ Dinpomp - what do Croatian football fans think about clubs from big European countries plundering their best players before they've even had a chance to establish themselves in the first team?

Are they proud to know that their players are so highly regarded and happy to see them playing well and maturing as players in the big leagues?

Or do they hate that their clubs' first teams can rarely enjoy their best youth products for long, if at all?

I know that, if Spurs were in a similar position, I'd be more in the latter camp.

 

[Dinpomp]

@ Dinpomp - what do Croatian football fans think about clubs from big European countries plundering their best players before they've even had a chance to establish themselves in the first team?

Are they proud to know that their players are so highly regarded and happy to see them playing well and maturing as players in the big leagues?

Or do they hate that their clubs' first teams can rarely enjoy their best youth products for long, if at all?

I know that, if Spurs were in a similar position, I'd be more in the latter camp.

A bit of both. Finances dictate and realism sets in. But it's not the same across the board. I'll take Croatia's two biggest clubs and how it differs for them. They are currently in contrasting financial situations.

Hajduk Split are in a position where they NEED to raise funds. The January sale of Pasalic to Chelsea went a long ways toward getting them closer to where they have to be. They need to raise some more from player sales this summer, but they are in a much better position now than they were before. And their management isn't jumping at initial offers like they may have done in the past. They try to get the most they can, but if a fair offer comes in, they're going to sell. Their fans recognize and begrudgingly accept this (for the most part). But it's frustrating that they see player's go for less than they might under different circumstances. But overall I think the Hajduk supporters realize that funds need(ed) to be raised. But I think even those fans who accepted the Radosevic and Pasalic sales (for example) are at the point where they want Hajduk to sell some fringe player's first before they cash in on budding stars like Balic and Vlasic.

Dinamo Zagreb don't really need to sell. In reality, they do, but not as often as they do, or as early as they do (insofar as the age of the player's they are transferring out). Dinamo promotes their young stars very early and quite frankly seem to "push them" out. They hold out for good offers, for the most part, but they seemingly promote their sale as soon as they make an appearance for the first team (or in some cases even before that). Part of that is because there has been a supply of talent coming through, but part of that is marketing the "next big transfer." Dinamo supporters are fed up for a number of reasons, but strictly speaking of transfer policy, it's become a running joke. Who's the next 13-year-old to be "pimped out" in the papers as "the next bla bla bla." Why even bother following the youth ranks (anymore) when they'll never really do anything with the senior team.

There certainly is an amount of pride seeing your former players do well at big clubs/leagues. It's also intriguing to follow their careers from a international perspective as well (NT players). But we're not talking about players staying until they are 24-25 and then moving on, after a number of productive seasons at the club, we're talking about 16-17-18-year old's who maybe had one productive season. For the most part it's just when they are starting to show that they are ready to contribute that they get sold. It's like just getting the bra off and then she gets a call and has to go. Frustrating.

 

[Dinpomp]

http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/financi...iju--balica--ali-su-roditelji-protiv/1189009/

Here they say Hajduk doesn't have anything against a sale at a reasonable price while the player's parents are against him leaving so soon.