Typically, players looking to secure a World Cup ticket would switch clubs up to a year before kick-off, giving them a full season to prove themselves. On the other hand, some were waiting precisely for June to arrive to play the World Cup and for it to serve as a jumper to stardom. This year is an atypical one, as the 2022 World Cup will take place in November, in the middle of the club football season. That is why those players who are looking for more minutes or a higher level of competition are already starting to change clubs this summer.
This is the case for many national teams, and one of them will surely be that for Croatian footballers. The Croatia national team has gone through many changes since the World Cup in Russia in 2018, where it touched the glory of reaching the final. Several Croatian footballers announced their retirements from the national team, such as Ivan Rakitić and Danijel Subašić, and others even announced their definitive retirement from football, such as Mario Mandžukić or Vedran Čorluka.
For this reason, and despite the fact that Zlatko Dalić can still count on players like Modrić, Brozović, Kovačič, Vida, or Kramarić, the national team has seen the arrival of new Croatian footballers who are looking to make a place for themselves for the next World Cup. To do this, they must find an ideal club where they have enough playing time and a suitable level of competition to convince Dalić and his staff. Ivan Perišić, who has a guaranteed place in the Croatian team, has recently completed his transfer from Inter Milan, with whom he decided not to renew his contract, to Tottenham London. Which Croatian footballers could follow in his footsteps?
Josip Juranović
Josip Juranović has taken over the right-back position on the Croatia national team, which seemed to have no competition with Šime Vrsaljko. However, injuries and lack of minutes for Vrsaljko at Atlético de Madrid added to the high level shown by Juranovic in the qualifiers and at EURO 2020, seem to have changed things. Juranović, who played five years at Hajduk Split, has had a great season at Celtic Glasgow, a club he joined in August 2021 from Legia Warsaw. In just one season, he became an undisputed starter and even the one responsible for taking penalties for his team. Juranović was instrumental in Celtic defending the title in a tight season with the Rangers, and his performances earned him a place in the team of the tournament. Juranović could continue with Celtic and play in the Champions League, but he is also aware that important clubs want him, such as England’s Leicester City. The market value of the Croatian defender is 4 million euros, and it remains to be seen what decision he will make this summer.
Photo: Igor Kralj/PIXSELL
Borna Sosa
On the other side of the Croatian defense, Borna Sosa is a player who has also aroused the interest of important clubs in Europe. Despite the controversial media case of being tempted by the German national team and later apologizing to the Croatian fans, the left-back is part of Dalić’s plans and he vindicated himself with his performances in the qualifiers, showing his high level both in defense and in the attack. Despite not having been a great season for his club, Stuttgart, the Croatian was an undisputed starter and somehow the end of the season brought a lot of joy to his team and the city, avoiding relegation with a goal at the last minute on the last fixture of the German Bundesliga. Borna, who arrived at Stuttgart in 2018 after playing for Dinamo Zagreb, could now make the big leap to a European giant. According to various sources, both FC Barcelona and Manchester United have asked about the Croatian defender, who has a market value of 20 million euros.
Photo: Davor Javorovic/PIXSELL
Nikola Vlašić
The talented and hard-working midfielder is not having the best time of his career. Despite arriving as West Ham’s big signing for the 2021/22 season, Vlašić has made just 19 appearances in the English Premier League, most starting from the bench. The same has happened in the Europa League, where he failed to secure a place in the ideal eleven despite his versatility both in the center and on the wings. This lack of playing time could affect his role in the national team, despite the fact that Dalić and his staff consider Vlašić to be an undisputed player among the rest of Croatian footballers. Therefore, the Split-born footballer could consider a loan or force an exit. The 24-year-old midfielder may find a loan the easiest way to add more minutes unless he decides to continue fighting for a place in the London team.
Photo: Igor Kralj/PIXSELL
Luka Sučić
Sučić has been one of the great surprises on the Croatia national team. Despite not being a big part of Croatia’s journey to the World Cup in Qatar, the 19-year-old midfielder’s talent has not gone unnoticed, even in a team with plenty of top midfielders. A regular at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, the country where he was born, Luka has enjoyed a season full of minutes and success, after winning the Austrian league title and making important appearances in the UEFA Champions League. Luka has a current market value of 20 million, and two European giants have their eyes on the Croatian midfielder: AC Milan and Liverpool, two teams where he will have to compete a lot to earn a place, but which would greatly raise his status ahead of the next World Cup.
Photo: Vjeran Zganec Rogulja/PIXSELL
Ante Rebić
Rebić’s case is a very complicated one. The striker, who was one of the great sensations at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, has suddenly lost Dalić’s confidence. Not precisely because of his performance, since the striker has shown a high level both in Frankfurt and AC Milan, the latter with which he became champion of Serie A. Rather, Rebić was removed from the national team after criticizing his own manager, Zlatko Dalić, after the EURO 2020 campaign. It is up to Rebić himself if he wants to regain the confidence of the national coach and a place in the squad, and to do so he must also consider his future at AC Milan, as according to various sources, the Italian team would be thinking of selling him to invest in other players.
Photo: Slavko Midzor/PIXSELL
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