When a new manager arrives at a club, it is only natural that their former players get linked with a move to re-join their old boss.
Since the appointment of Slaven Bilic at West Ham. Demba Ba, a striker at Bilic’s previous club Besiktas, has been linked with a move to the club, as has unsettled Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren, whom was managed by Bilic with Croatia.
However, whilst both these players could well be decent acquisitions for the club, there is one young Croatian player with such huge potential that hasn’t been linked with a move to West Ham and I want him to be.
Ante Coric, currently plays for Dinamo Zagreb in the Croatian top tier and earlier in the year at just 17 years of age, was described by his manager as being a greater talent than Luka Modric.
After only turning 18 a couple of months back and with a full season under his belt, the supremely gifted midfield playmaker has been selected for the Croatian U21 side and has attracted serious interest from big European clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Everton from the Premier League.
Dinamo Zagreb have thus far decided not to cash in on their prize asset but the bigger stage awaits the wonderkid and should he decide to move, where would be better for Coric to play than at West Ham under the guidance of compatriot Slaven Bilic as a father figure.
Indeed, it may be the best thing for the player to stay put for one or two more years, to develop more before making a move to a bigger club than West Ham but I just sense that there is an opportunity to be taken here. He may see West Ham as a stepping stone for bigger things and this may be true but if the move came off, Coric would be worth a lot more than we would have paid for him.
At his tender age, he wouldn’t be playing in the first team every week and it would take time to adapt to the furious pace of the Premier League, like it does for good players much older than him but at a fee of only around £3.5M-£5M he would be a worthwhile investment.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see our club trying to sign some of Europe’s most exciting young prospects? Go on Slaven, have a word. #DareToSlaven
