Another young Croatian star off to Europe?
When the match between Dinamo Zagreb and Inter Zaprešić finishes later today, Ante Ćorić (18) will for the last time wave to the fans at the Maksimir Stadium. In the locker room, he will then say goodbye to friends and leave the club he has supported from an early age, reports 24Sata on December 19, 2015.
Only a few months ago, Ante was a player which Dinamo considered to be the key player for the future. He was a footballer who was waking up and going to bed with Dinamo in his heart and intended to keep playing for Dinamo for a long time. But, the club did not show any interest in keeping him. “I do not know why we would try to keep a player who has a contract with us”, assistant team manager Damir Krznar said.
True, Ante has a contract, just like, for example, Paulo Machado has. The only difference is that for the Portuguese the contract is the only thing which binds him with Dinamo. There are no emotions. except for a middle finger which he showed to fans while he was leaving the pitch during a match against Molde.
The match against Inter Zaprešić will mark the end of a turbulent half of the season, the most turbulent one in the last 25 years. Believe it or not, some of Dinamo’s players are no longer allowed even to say “hi” to Ćorić. His best friends from the club today barely nod when they see him. Of course, in the locker room there are people who understand what happened and who would like for him to remain with the club. But there are just a few of them.
Today, the fans will be able to say good-bye to Ante, since Dinamo’s 18-year-old will play from the first minute. It will be his last appearance on Croatian football pitches for a while.
After the game against Inter, players will spend three weeks away from Maksimir and some will not return there. Porto is reportedly willing to pay ten million euros for Ćorić. It would be better for Dinamo not to get that money so that Ćorić could stay playing for Dinamo, but it is almost certain that another talented player will leave Maksimir.
Representatives of clubs interested in Ćorić have already wanted to begin discussions about the transfer, but they say there is no one in Maksimir whom they can talk with. Everybody was waiting for club chairman Zdravko Mamić to be released from prison, since he is the person without whom nothing can be done. Although he must not work in the club while on bail, someone will replace him, at least officially.
Manchester City is also interested in Ćorić, but it would be difficult for him to get a place in the starting team there, so it is Everton and Porto which are the main contenders for his transfer.
